


Memorable

by ChocoMochaBaby



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Chloe is a sweetheart, Depression, Elijah Kamski & Gavin Reed are Half-Siblings, Elijah is a good brother, Gay, Hank Anderson and Connor are Family, Hank and Connor are not in a relationship, M/M, RK900 is Richard, Slow Burn, Some small personal headcannons, Suicidal Gavin Reed, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:27:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 33,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25039984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChocoMochaBaby/pseuds/ChocoMochaBaby
Summary: Gavin Reed, the same familiar detective that the Detroit Homicide task force has worked with for many years. He has many shameful secrets that he's not quite ready to share, and yet a certain Android is trying to break down the walls and figure him out.Richard is the RK900 model that is newly assigned to Gavin, and even though he just wants to know more about the bitter detective and his hatred for android kind, he also just wants to ignore the assholish man that continuously insults him and Connor.Gavin just desperately wanted to neglect and push away Richard. However, the man was in desperate need of the androids assistance in a brutal new case that Fowler had dished to him and his partner. So with many struggling moments, and times of unintentional bonding, the duo struggle to catch the monster committing these crimes. As they near the location of the criminal, Gavin can also feel something that he has been dreading begin to brew in his heart. Emotions.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 1
Kudos: 18





	1. Gay Bar

The crackling of thunder echoed through the empty streets of midnight Detroit, as the soft pitter-patter of rain set a melancholy vibe, beckoning the saddest of insomniacs to adventure out. And so, he did. The cold droplets traced each strand of Gavins' dark hair, before streaming down his worn and tired face. He wasn't quite sure why stormy nights almost always cured his aching depression, but he'd take any help he could get. That is, as long as the help was situational and didn't have a pulse. He'd never been a people person, or at least, he had convinced himself that no rational human being could enjoy his presence. Gavin much preferred to bark orders, and scare off people, than even try to create an unsatisfying relationship that consisted of bland small talk. As he wandered down the vacant streets, that gave off false signs of life with blaring neon 'Open' lights, he began to feel an urge to burn his throat with the slightly more satisfying flavor of whiskey. Brushing the shoulder of his better judgement, and ignoring the work that he had early in the morning of the next day he would have to pull himself through, he pushed his body against the graffiti ridden door of the bar nearest to him. The overwhelming stench of vomit and urinal cakes swarmed his nostrils, forcing Gavin to immediately realize what a mistake he was making. However, before he could slip back into the damp streets of Detroit, a familiar face caught his eyes.

"Connor?" Gavin muttered in slight amusement. He could already see something wrong with the situation, as the android was not followed by his gruffy superior. Only, it wasn't who he thought, as he soon realized, the android turning around. Though he held such striking similarities, this androids eyes held a piercing gray-blue color, his pupils appearing even smaller. A different model, perhaps? Gavin quickly shook his head and fell back onto his usual state of asshole-ish resentment to anything with two eyes and a sense of right and wrong, forming a new sentence of sarcastic venom as this not-Connor being seemingly stared straight through him, seeing every little self-loathing secret he'd been hiding all these years. "Nevermind, you just look like a plastic prick I know from work." The grating bitterness in his voice forced a cough to rise from his throat. Once he cleared the sting of his own bitchiness, he spun back around on his heal, inhibitions kicking in after that embarrassing mistake, and wobbling out of the bar, his hands shoved into the pockets of his withered leather jacket.

Of course, that stupid mistake wasn't enough to make the infallible Gavin Reed retreat to his home, where he could regret every decision he had made in his life. The first that ran through his mind every time he got into a self pitying trance was always how he should have just killed himself when he was 10, just to avoid all of the bad shit that had actually happened to him. No, instead he wandered across the street to another open bar. This one was, of course, not a bar he frequented. He hardly knew that it was there until but a few minutes ago, when he stumbled out of the one with the not-Connor person. In fact, now that he thought about it, Gavin couldn't recall ever seeing this bar. As he neared it, he began to guess that he never really saw this bar because it was tucked into the back corner of some dingy alleyway, and the only way that he actually spotted it was the flashing blue neon sign dangling above the door and shining all the way out into the streets.

Already, Gavin was completely drenched. The cool air that followed the autumn downpour was seeping into his clothes and crawling down his spine. Honestly, he would do anything to get out of the freezing cold of the outdoors and shove some intoxicating alcohol down his gullet. Even if that meant stepping into this bar, of all the kinds that he could have randomly seen. Of course, the detective didn't realize what specific kind of a bar that it was. At least, not until he walked in and saw multiple different groups of men sucking the faces off of one another in their own little drunken haze. Gavin Reed had mysteriously wandered into a gay bar. However, while considering his own flexible sexuality, he realized that this kind of homo-erotic presence didn't really bother him. He just wanted to drown out his thoughts in a largely generous amount of alcohol. He quickly takes a seat at the bar, avoiding eye contact, and making it clear to everyone that he was not wanting to talk, let alone swap spit with some hormonal homo. He had nothing against them, and yet he couldn't help but find himself cringing at the unpleasant amount of sexual acts that all the people were doing in the middle of a public location.

"Whiskey." Gavin bit to the sweet looking bartender. Maybe if he wasn't too drunk later on in the night, he could try to throw some compliments his way. But at the moment, the self conscious hissing in his mind just kept reminding him how unworthy he was for anything. So the best probable action for him right now was to just keep being an absolute asshole to anything that could move, and even things that couldn't. The bartender quickly returned with a glass containing a dull amber fluid, a large ice cube clinking against the sides. He leaned over the counter, placing it on top of the small napkin that rested in front of Gavin. The bitter detective barely registered the small laugh that came from the bartender as he downed the glass, but instead focused on the soft skin of the man as he poured more whiskey into the glass. While, yes, his short blond hair that and shining blue eyes were quite the attention grabber, the biggest thing that made Gavin begin to deteste this man was the flashing LED on his temple. He understood fully that, since the revolution had ended, androids gained the same rights as regular humans. However, that did not stop his deep rooted hatred for the technological trash cans as they began to make their own decisions, and find work and love in whatever and whoever they pleased. Gavin looked back down to his glass and took another large gulp.

"Well, someone doesn't want to remember their day." The bartender spoke from behind the counter, leaning against his elbows and towards Gavins pinched face. In this moment, the detective also began to remember how much he also despised their voices, being so similar to humans, and yet too suave and perfect to actually be real. While this android was rather adorable, and made him want to continue back and forth with some random and witty conversation, Gavin just couldn't get it out of his head that this being was just that. And android. Words and phrases whipped through his head, as he tried to contain his frustration and maintain a civil attitude. The kind look in his warm ocean blue eyes had to be some kind of faked simulation that he downloaded. The cute red tint to his cheeks was just the way that his false skin had formed. His heated breath that Gavin felt against his cheek was nothing more than a warm fan pushing out used air. He was fake. And the detective couldn't let that go.

"Yeah, well if you don't back up, it'll look like someone won't be remember their entire life, let alone be living it." Gavin hissed before he could stop himself, eyes glaring daggers at the android in front of him. Said bartender immediately took on an offended expression. Fake. He backed up and began to turn away.

"Well aren't you just a bitter bitch." The android mumbled over his shoulder as he fled to another patron on the other end of the bar. Once alone, Gavin sighed into his palms. He really wouldn't mind any kind of company right now, actually. Even if it was from some tin can. The thoughts just continued to flood his mind, and he still couldn't seem to shove them down. He pressed his hands into his eyes, rubbing at the wetness that was beginning to form there.

"Damn it." He hissed, voice barely above a whisper. He couldn't stay here. It felt like the eyes of the other people there were just burning into his back, straight through his soaked jacket, despite knowing that they all were too caught up in their partners to be paying attention to him. Gavin snatched up the glass and chugged the last of the drink, slamming it back down on the counter, along with a couple bills to pay for it and a tip. He pushed his stool back and stood up quickly, whipping around and face planting forcefully into something standing in his way. "Shit!" Gavin hissed again, grabbing his stinging nose. No. Not something. Someone, Gavin realized as he stepped back and looked up, his own pair of dull gray eyes finding that same icy pair of blue ones.

"Detective, what a happy accident that you stumbled upon me in the last bar." Satin bless it. It was the same Connor look-alike android from the previous location he had been at, his sharp features even more piercing in the dull lighting of this bar. Gavin was too shocked that this strange person had followed him out to this location to even respond, so instead, the android recognized this hesitation and pressed on. "I'll need you to return to the station with me, a new case had arrived and it demands our immediate attention." Gavin could finally now register thoughts in his own mind once again. The self-depreciating ones being pressed off to the side for this moment as he took a moment to think about the androids voice. It was incredibly similar to Connor's, and yet it was deeper, and far less patient. More bitter, and incredibly demanding, and yet it held a faint scratchy sound to it. Almost human. It was not difficult to realize that he was not going to like this.


	2. Up His Ass

"Excuse me?" Gavin hissed, his anger seething in smoke from the corners of his mouth and boiling harshly under his skin. "Who the hell do you think you are?!" He called viciously, his finger going forward and jabbing the Connor look-alike in his solid, and oddly toned chest. However, despite his rage, his voice didn't dare go over a low grating volume.

"I am Richard, the RK900 model that has been assigned as your partner." The bot-bitch responded with some kind of tarted bite in his tone. Already, Gavin had questions whirling through his mind. Since when did he have some plastic tin can to follow him around just like Hank? He couldn't even remember getting any kind of notification from Fowler. And why the fuck was this asshat still wearing his straight laced Cyberlife uniform? Less than a day after the revolution had ended, Hank had Connors LED removed, and he now wandered around in the same tacky kind of clothing that the gruff lieutenant always wore.

Gavin was too distracted by the prick that stood before him to notice that almost all eyes in the bar were trying to dig holes into his scalp. Had he taken a moment to look around, he would have retreated back into his bitter shell, not talking and grunting responses instead of even making an effort to speak over the voices in his own head. But he didn't look around. He didn't take any notice to anything other than the contained rage that he saw in the face that looked straight back at him. He'd never seen a simulation like this before. Androids were complacent bricks of metal and bolts that didn't have any kind emotion. Even when he got into a scuffle with Connor, the androids expression had stayed eerily calm. But here, it was different. RK-nut fuck had his jaw clamped tight, shoulders squared, and pinched eyebrows, creating almost a perfect 'V'. His fists were clenched at his sides, knuckles turning white. Like he was trying to avoid punching Reed's lights out. 

Gavin's anger just continued to rise in his chest.

"Since when in the fuck was I assigned a partner?! Let alone one made of nuts and bolts!" Gavin hissed, getting onto his toes and pushing his chest against the androids' own. "I suggest you get the fuck outa my way, plastic prick!" His voice grew even more bitter with every word he uttered. And then, it happened.

RK900 snatched Reeds collar up into his fist, crushing the cheep leather under his slim fingers. He pulled Gavin up to his height, his toes barely brushing the floor as he began to regret every decision he had made so far tonight.

"Listen here, you pitiful meat sack. I will not tolerate this bitter attitude from a bitch like you, or anyone for that matter." He hissed at Gavin, his grip only tightening. The smaller was filled with amused terror. The Android only held onto him with one hand, showing incredible strength and control. And, Gavin couldn't help but try to suppress his laughter at hearing such a perfect being curse like some deluded sailor. He couldn't tell if it was the lack of sleep, or maybe the very small amount of alcohol in his system, but his shoulders were beginning to shake. He hasn't had to try this hard to not laugh in years, and so desperately just wanted to belt it out and giggle until he couldn't breathe. However, instead of seeing that Gavin was trying to contain his smile, the android mistakenly saw it as trembling in fear. Never in a thousand years would he think that Gavin was even trying to laugh. So, he dropped the smaller detective without so much as another thought to it. However, even after being let go, Gavin's shoulders continued to tremble and shiver. RK900 couldn't tell if the man was simply having a mental breakdown, or what. So, instead of pressing his anger, the android simply backed up, strolling seemingly calmly out of the bar and out into the thundering down pour.

Gavin finally let out a small huff, biting his bottom lip to keep the rest inside. And yet, even despite that short lived moment of giddiness that flooded his tired system, he still couldn't ignore the faces that all had turned on him. He began to freeze under the many sets of eyes that followed him, and instead trotted quickly out into the cold rain, despite hating how it was even worse as he left such a warm environment. To his own disappointment, Gavin found the android waiting outside for him underneath the small awning.

"I hope you've gathered your senses." Though this man looked scary in the bar, the lights sharpening the daggers of his glare, but outside he just looked downright terrifying. A small smile curled across his features that didn't meet his eyes, giving Gavin the thought of some crazed murderer that was ready to get back at the detective. He, of course, wouldn't be surprised if that was the case, as it wouldn't necessarily be the first time that a vindictive psychopath came to get his own. Gavin got many scars that way, and yet he never took any more efforts to keep himself safe than what he was already doing.

"Piece of shit..." Gavin mumbled under his breath, not wanting to look at this creepy androids face anymore. He shrugged his shoulders up against his neck and tucked his hands back into his pocket as he walked back into the abandoned streets. He was certain that the android heard what he had said, but the being didn't say anything in response to the insult that Gavin had tossed out of his mouth. Once out of the dingy alley, he turned to the right, the complete opposite direction of the station. RK900 noticed.

"Detective Reed, I'm afraid that you are going in the wrong direction. Perhaps you should check yourself and follow me." He called out to Gavin's fleeting form, his voice dripping with superiority.

"Tch." Gavin scoffed, not hesitating, and continuing on his way. His shoulders unintentionally tensed and his steps faltered only slightly once he heard the pounding footsteps behind him, and closing in.

"Detective-" the RK Android hissed. The anger evident in his tone that he used. His hand grabbed a fistful of Gavin's shoulder, whipping him around. As Gavin spun, he quickly regained his balance, whipping his arm up and snapping it across RK's wrist, flinging it away from him.

"Listen here, bot-Bitch. I have to go back to my apartment and pick up somethings. Go back to the station and squat there until I get back if you want." Gavin growled right back, turning back around and trudging through the rain soaked street.

"But detective, I have received specific instructions-" Gavin cut him off again, turning around and throwing his hands in the air, walking backwards across the sidewalk.

"Wanna know where you can stick those stupid phking instructions!?" He shouted over the thundering rain on his scalp. RK was quick to fire back.

"I'd assume right up your ass if you don't stop interrupting me." It called out, voice reverberating across the brick and metal buildings. Gavin stilled, rage flaring right back under his skin. He thought he had the tin-can on that one. He recalled Hank recounting the time when he asked the same question to Connor, and Gavin honestly just wanted to shut the Android up. But it didn't work? What the hell was this piece of metals damage?

Instead of responding, Gavin simply turned back around and pulled his collar up higher around his neck, stomping through puddles of rain. He could hear the splashing of footsteps behind him, simply assuming that it was RK, and just kept going forward. Thankfully, it didn't take long to get back to his apartment. Once he reached the complex and marched up the outer stairs, he realized that the Android was still following him. Just before he slipped his worn metal key into the lock, he spun around.

"Listen here dipshit, you're gonna wait out here like a good trash can until I get back. Understand?" Gavin said with a smirk, the rain still pounding on the tin cover for the stairs. RK's expression somehow worsened into a terrifying sneer. It was clear that the android desperately wanted to say something back, but he knew that he couldn't. As he truly couldn't go anywhere until Gavin returned from within his apartment. At this point, the detective knew that he had won this battle, but was still fully aware of the war that still raged within the android. Their disputes were far from over. 

Gavin unlocked his door and barely cracked it open, slipping in through the gap between the frame and the oddly solid door. Once within, he was quick to slam it shut, his back crashing against it. He let out an odd breath that he didn't know that he was holding, shoulders trembling with the intensity of his exhale. Social interaction wasn't something that he wanted to do on the best of days, especially when he isn't expecting it. Tonight was one of those few moments where he was thrown into some random social dance that he had not done any mental stretching for. He was still, in complete honesty, absolutely terrified to even leave the safety of his apartment. But, he quickly was able to realize who it was that was standing outside. Gavin knew for a fact that Connor had the ability to see the heat signatures through five feet thick solid cement. So he had no doubt that the imitation that stood just outside his door could see straight through the flimsy, paper thin walls, without any kind of hindrance. 

Taking a deep breath, he stepped away and calmly walked further into his apartment, weaving his legs through two different cats that immediately started to purr and rub against his ankles. He quickly made it to his room, though, found his badge, gun, wallet, and phone, quickly making his way back around to the front door, not bothering with his soaked clothes or even thinking of changing into warm clean ones. However, just as he had his hand around the handle of the door, he froze. Gavin knew that RK could see him right now, exposed in all of his depressed bull shit. But right now, he couldn't find himself caring. The tightness that he felt in his chest every time he went out was there again, rearing its ugly head and making him want to retreat back into his room with a good hardback book, and a cup of tea. He couldn't find himself wanting anything more than to just fall asleep and forget about the world. 

But he couldn't.

Three loud bangs on the door directly in front of his face brought him out of his stupor. Gavin flinched back, his whole body retreating, before taking two deep breaths, shoving his hand into his pocket, and pressing forward, throwing the door open, and locking it harshly behind him. RK watched him in some twisted sort of amazement as Gavin shoved his keys back into his pocket and trotted back out into the still pounding rain. RK was quick to follow him, not uttering a word as the two made their hasty walk to the police station.


	3. An Asshole?

RK900 was confused. His processors continued to run in circles, and yet he still couldn't quite figure out this man that he had the displeasure of being assigned to. The detective's shoulders hunched upward, hugging his neck, as Richard just followed, 'unintentionally' allowing his programs to run vigorous analysis tests on his shivering form. He was, of course, concerned that the detectives inner core temperature was far lower than it should have been, putting him in danger of getting ill or worse. However, just as he was considering stepping forward and informing the detective of these vital signs that he witnessed, the same bitter attitude and insulting words that the man had chosen to greet him with rang through his memory. Richard decided against saying anything. 

Something else that caught his attention just out of the corner of his visual processors was, in fact, Detective Reed's stress levels. They were through the roof, and simply continued to rise as they neared the police station. Richard could have easily mistaken him for an interrogated suspect with his stress levels, if it wasn't for the fact that he knew the mans position. He, of course, wanted to know why it was that this seemingly bitter and headstrong man before him seemed so panicked about being outside, and yet, again, he remembered the mans attitude. Richard, again, decided against approaching the detective about any of his unusual findings of him. 

"Hey, tin can." Detective Reed's grating voice brought Richard out of his analysis, and his head tilted upward to show he was listening. "Fowler assigned you, right? You didn't just walk in out of the Cyberlife store like Connor did?" He didn't wait to see if Richard was paying attention or not, because, annoyingly enough, the Detective knew that RK's inner processors would not allow any kind of verbally transmitted information to slip by. Richard sighed.

"Yes, despite what you may think, I do have a life." Richard waited a moment before adding something else. "All androids do." Just as he let out that choice phrase, he began a continuous analysis on the Detective, seeing how his shoulders tensed only slightly and his stress levels rose again at the mention of android kind having their own ability to make decisions. The man scoffed and shook his head. 

"Then why the phck are you still wearing that pathetic, straight laced uniform?" Detective Reed hissed under his breath, but continued walking forward. Richard was fully prepared to explain that these clothes were the only clothing that he did have, but decided against it, seeing their close proximity to the police station, and that he didn't feel like being ridiculed even further. The lights of the station illuminated the dark night, and Richard's mind still couldn't help but think of what the Detective had just said. Why did he curse like that? Was there something wrong with him? Perhaps it was just the way that he speaks, and yet Richard couldn't help but want to run further analysis into speech patterns. More specifically his. 

Detective Reed shoved the doors to the police station open, walking inside and rolling his shoulders. Possibly to get some of the stress out of his system, or in a more likely scenario, to shove the cold away from his body. As his core temperature was still worryingly low. Even though Richard had the full ability to pull Detective Reed aside and hand him something warm to drink and a blanket from the lounge inside, he still didn't, and simply walked in after him. Instead of following the detective to where ever he was going, most likely captain Fowler's office, Richard strolled over to Lieutenant Hank and Connor's adjoined desks. As he neared, he saw that Connor, his own brother, still sat at his desk, typing away to try and finish some kind of report for a recently apprehended man that was in possession of red ice. His posture was still perfect, and expression blank, but his previous gray uniform had been abandoned and he now wore a quarter sleeve shirt that only held four buttons going down his chest, the top three undone, showing his familiar perfect ivory skin. On the back of his chair was a jacket that Richard had seen Hank wear many times, and it was likely too big on Connor. Connor wore simple jeans, and a pair of black Timberland waterproof boots. His head tilted up and suddenly a very happy set of warm honey eyes met with cool icy ones.

"Richard! I see you're back." Connor stood, now at eye level with Richard, being the same height. "How did it go?" Connor asked, pulling up another chair and offering it his younger brother. Richard shook his head and sat down perfectly in the chair, Connor doing the same with his own, yet somehow taking a more relaxed and 'human' position. 

"Much worse than you had suggested it would have gone." His tone was bitter, which openly shocked Connor. Richard's tone had only ever been basic and flat, despite his awakening. "Detective Reed is quite the character to get along with. You never told me that he would be that much of an..." Richard hesitated, glaring holes into the tiled floor. Connor smirked at this blatant show of emotion, even if it was negative.

"An asshole?" Connor offered.

"Yes! You never said he would be this bad!" Richard stressed exasperatedly. His brother only laughed a small bit under his breath at his frustrated state. "Why do you laugh." Richard stated, leaning forward, pressing his elbows onto his knees, and allowing his 'perfect' facade to slip. 

"Because, Gavin is more than what you see." Connor said with a knowing smirk. It was almost as though he was holding some kind of information over Richard. The younger android did not like it. 

"What is it that you mean by that." Connor snickered a bit more at Richards entirely formal tone, but was quick to take a breath and steady himself again.

"Before you get too angry with him, tell me what you really saw. Tell me what your processors picked up?" Connor offered again, leaning back and an elbow going against his desk. Richard quirked an eyebrow at him.

"You told me not to analyze him. You told me that Detective Reed despised it when you did that." The honey-eyed man simply shook his head at that. 

"Yes, I did tell you that. However, I know you. I know our systems. We can't help but run tests as much as we can. That's just how we were made." Connor stated, wrists twisting, as he, oddly enough, spoke with his hands most of the time. Richard sighed and quickly looked around for Detective Reed. Once he saw that the man was in Captain Fowler's office, seemingly having a heated discussion, he tilted his head back down and closed his eyes. For a moment, Connor thought that he wasn't going to say anything. But finally, Richard sighed and began.

"When we finally stepped inside, his stress levels were at 88 percent. That is higher than most convicts when they are being interrogated. Which, of course, could have just been because he had only just met me, but the percentage was lower when it was just us on the way here. Something about this building puts him off." Richard took a moment, opening his eyes and looking at Detective Reed now. His stress levels had increased to be 92%. And his internal temperature was still low. Richard ignored it. He watched the Detective as he spoke. "And when he had stopped into his apartment to get his belongings, such as his badge and phone, he froze both when entering and leaving his apartment. Though, when Detective Reed went in, it appeared as though he was relieved. Like he could not have been happier to be alone. Then, as he left, he froze, his hand on the doorknob, as though he did not want to leave." He paused once more, coming to a realization and looking to Connor for confirmation. "Does Detective Reed have social anxiety?" He asked aloud, and his brother simply looked at him with a knowing glance and nodded. Richard lowered his head once more, simply staring at the tiled floor. 

"His internal temperature is low. Please tell me you noticed that." Connor said quietly. Richard looked up to meet Connor's gaze, but found that he, instead, was staring at Detective Reed himself. He looked back to the younger, both blank expressions practically mirroring eachother. 

"Yes, however, I deemed it unnecessary to assist. As earlier this evening, he was being an asshat. So I decided against saying anything to Detective Reed." Connor scoffed and began to laugh at Richards reasoning. The corners of his eyes crinkled as his mouth grew into a delighted smile. "He was being rude, though." Richard mumbled, which only made Connor laugh harder. Richard's harsh and blank exterior broke, and a small smile slipped across his lips, meeting his eyes in an excited huff of a laugh. 

"Even so..." Connor took a few deep breaths and calmed himself. "You should still offer him a coffee. Gavin is going to ask for one anyways, and I've always wondered how he would react if someone brought him a coffee of their own accord." Connor said, staring off into space, but in truth he was inspecting the ceiling tiles. "Well, anyways." He said and hopped up, grabbing the jacket off of the back of the chair and beginning to walk away. "I wish you luck with Gavin, and I wish I could stay longer. However, I've been out long enough, and Hank is probably waiting up for me." Connor waved his goodbye and walked out of the station, pulling a cap out of his pocket and tugging it down over his ears just before he stepped out of the final door. 

Richard sighed, recomposed himself, and stood back up, straight as a board. He spun around and replaced the chair that Connor had pulled out, and wandered over to his desk that sat just opposite of the Detectives. However, just as his fingers grazed the back of his seat, ready to pull it out, he hesitated. Perhaps he really should make an effort to care for Detective Reed's well being. After all, he wasn't only assigned to the cranky bitch just because he needed a partner to solve cases with. But it was also because Captain Fowler was concerned for Detective Reed's life, as he had revealed to Richard during his hiring process. So, more or less, Richard had truly been assigned to the Detective as an over prepared body guard. He sighed again. He didn't want to serve Detective Reed as his underling, and if he offered the coffee, he would most likely be seen as only that. However, though small, there was still a percentage that the detective could possibly be less of an asshole if he did offer his own assistance in something other than the investigation that they had been newly assigned. 

This information quickly passed through his processors and he evaluated them, finally choosing the later option, and stepping quickly away from his desk. Detective Reed was still in the Captain's office, and he didn't want the man to see what he was doing. So while he still could, he stepped off into the opposing hallway, and into the smaller lounge room. He went to the counter, and pulled out one of the paper cups, setting it down and thankful that a cup of coffee had already been pre-brewed. Though, of course, it was most likely by Connor, hours ago, when Hank had still been here. Richard didn't have to be an angel to the Detective, just nice enough to make him stop being an asshole. 

He poured the stale, and yet still warm, coffee into the cup. And yet, it was at this moment that he realized. He had no idea how the Detective took his coffee. So, instead of leaving it bland and bitter, he took out two packets of sugar, the container of hot chocolate that sat within another cupboard (It had Connor written on the top of it, so he supposed it was fine that he used it. The powder was most likely used for Hank anyways.), and the half gallon of milk that sat in the fridge. He spooned in some hot chocolate, and stirred the milk and sugar in as well. Once he finished, he tossed the plastic spoon and other trash, put away the milk and hot chocolate, and capped the concoction with a black plastic lid.

Upon turning around, he found that the Detective had just left Captain Fowler's office, and now walked unevenly back to his desk. His internal temperature seemed to have dropped even further, and his occasional shiver had turned into almost constant trembling, as all of his clothes were still wet. Richard took this moment and approached quietly from behind as the Detective sat down at his desk. He stepped forward, in front of Detective Reed's line of sight, and saw that the man was incredibly pissed. Richard cleared his throat, getting the smaller's attention. he groaned.

"Listen here dip-shit..." Detective Reed hissed as he rolled his head. "Why don't you just make yourself useful and get me..." He stopped as his eyes landed on Richard. Not only had his expression changed from extreme contempt to a calm curiosity, but in his hand seemed to be a cup of hot coffee. Based on previous information gathered, Richard supposed that he was about to ask the android to go and get him a coffee. Richard set it down on his desk, right in front of the Detective, and stood back up straight, and looking the man in the eye, trying to contain his frustration as best he could. 

"Detective Reed, your internal body temperature is lower than what it should be. I made coffee to warm you. I would also ask that you change into one of the spare uniforms that the DPD has stored in the back rooms." Richard said, surprised at his own ability to speak calmly and civilly to this man before him. "I'll go fetch you a set, please remain here." Richard said and stepped away, thankful to finally have a breath away from him. However, it didn't truly feel like he was holding his breath around the Detective. So instead of letting out a frustrated huff that he had been expecting after the encounter, he let out a pleasant and confused sigh. It felt nice not to be angry or bland.


	4. Enter The Public Restroom

By the time that Richard returned, he was surprised to see that the Detective was already typing away aggressively at his desk station, doing research for the case file that had been opened on his desk. The papers that were at one point evenly filed within were now strewn messily around Detective Reed, one hand resting on a packet that was once within, finger extended to keep his place, all the while the other hand flying across the keyboard that was in front of him. Richard cleared his throat, the effort for it unneeded, and far too grandiose for such a simple situation. The man simply decided that it would be better to let Reed initiate first communication, rather than himself. Reed groaned deeply, his head dropping as he spun around in his chair, arms laying numbly at his sides.

If Gavin was being honest, he didn't want to be here right now. Cold seeped up his spine, and he couldn't shake the frozen terror that clenched in his chest. The coffee helped. It was sweet, and strangely comforting in a way that Gavin had never know that coffee could taste. He had an almost in-tamable urge to ask what the hell the bot put inside of his drink, wondering vaguely if it was roofied or something. After a deep breath - though it wasn't successfully calming - Detective Reed snapped his head up, damp hair flicking almost painfully across his forehead, and the glaring florescent lights burning his retinas. Richard notes the effort it took for Gavin to even get remotely close to meeting his gaze.

"Those the clothes?" Detective Reed asked, still bitter in his tone, and yet slightly more controlled. Almost as though the socially impaired man was trying to show any semblance of appreciation towards Richard. He nodded, extending his arm holding the standard sweat clothes of the Detroit Police Department. There was the briefest moments of hesitation, before Gavin launched himself upward from his chair, expelling wasted energy as he snatched the dry, and surprisingly warm clothes from RK900's cold hands.

"I ran them through the communal dryer in the back with the rest of the clothing. I apologize if it is not favorable." Richard spoke, noticing the barely there confusion on Detective Reed's face. His scarred, pinched eyebrows flexed, and RK watched in silenced amusement as Reed made an actual effort to wipe the bitchy look of his face. It was quite the spectacle to witness Reed stare awkwardly at the clothes for a moment, fingers gripping it probably too tightly. There was something in the mans eye, and Richard was almost tempted to comment.

"Thanks." Gavin muttered almost mutely before RK could push anything else out. Not waiting to see a reaction, or even hear a huff of recognition, Gavin squirmed forward, all too eager to take off his cold clothes. He almost tripped and fell over his own stumbling feet in a hasty effort to get to the bathroom without looking too eager. Rounding a corner, he shoved his shoulder into the swinging door, leaving a smear of water across the front from his jacket that he still had refused to take off.

Gavin stood still for barely a moment, waiting for the door to fully slam shut, before ripping at the hems of the sleeves on his jacket, yanking the clinging material down his arms, and straining against the pull he felt in his shoulders. It was in this moment, Gavin realized, he couldn't fucking breathe.

His mouth gaped, spreading and closing like a fish. Nothing came in, and all the air he had been grasping for was leaving his lungs faster than he could do anything to replenish it. His hands were trembling in front of his face, petrified even further at the chilled blue color on the tips. Shoving his hands against his hips, he peeled the cold and wet shirt up and over his head, tossing the dripping cloth into the corner with his leather jacket.

"Phck..." Gavin hissed, his teeth grinding together, palms shoving against his chest, almost clawing at the skin. Blackening edges flooding his vision, and his knees buckling, slapping with a vivid pop against the solid tile.

I can't fucking breathe

His fingers abandoned the reddening skin on his chest, sliding across the tile, and reaching. Cold, blue-tipped fingers collided clumsily with sharp corners of bathroom floor tiles. Edging forward with the precision of any skilled person suffering a panic attack. Finally, in a moment that Gavin could not be more proud of himself for, he extended his arm just enough, fingers grazing soft, warm gray fabric.

With the last effort he had in him, Gavin pushed his chest off the frozen tiles, carefully slid through the almost scalding hot sweater, palms getting lost in the fabric of his sleeves, and curled into a small ball against the floor. Pants stretching as they caught on his skin, pulling his knees to his chest. His hands were shoved between the junction of his hips and thighs, too scared to take of his just as soaked pants to resolve the problem further.

Finally, with the warmth the sweater brought dancing over his damaged skin, his lungs opened. Gavin began gulping down air, hands crunching into fists, pulling his sleeves tight around his body. He wanted to take off his pants. The contrast of warm and cold was too bitter and painful, it made his old knees ache. But he couldn't find the strength in his weakened body to even keep his eyes open.

"Shit..." Gavin mumbled, yanking his head off of the all too comforting tile floor and pulling himself up to rest on his elbow. He still kept his palms tucked securely under the fabric of the sweater, fingers trying numbly at the buckle of his belt. "Come on.." His words slurred together, finally getting a well enough grip to slide the belt out of each loop. Individually, each tug on the metal tipped leather took too much effort, and his already slipping conscious was not benefiting from warmth his sweater offered. With one last frustrated grunt, Gavin, at last, removed the belt from his person, his body falling to the floor again.

Though he had regained his ability to breathe, it was minimal, and difficult. Each intake of air ripped through his throat and burned his lungs. Gavin was left huffing on the floor, his chest feeling weak. Thank fuck that no one was here. Otherwise, Gavin would be in severe danger of being discovered. His reputation would be ruined. Panic attack aside, if anyone came in, the only thing that they would see would be the distinguished Detective, quite literally rolling around on the floor, half naked, and panting as though he had just finished a rough bout with a suspect. The realization of this did not help his situation, adding only to the panic he felt, and the desperation to finish this shit before even that fucking tin-can could get suspicious.

Gavin groaned as he shuffled his hips once more to accommodate his weight while he toed off his shoes. As he removed his shoes, his shaking thumbs grabbed the loops of his pants and began the struggle to peel his pants away. He tried to do too much at once, his footing slipped and suddenly he was back on his ass.

"Phck!!" Gavin but his lip, unafraid of drawing blood or damaging himself, his motions stilling and knees arching away from the floor, still trying to kick the last of his shoes off of his heel. "Get offa me, damnit!" He was almost afraid of how much noise he was making, but forgot once he got his shoes off. "Thank god."

Gavin peeled away the rest of his dripping jeans, and tossed them into the corner with his shirt and jacket. His hands were still shaking, and his entire body almost vibrated as he trembled. And he still couldn't quite catch his breath. He grabbed his shoes and tossed them over with the others soaked clothing. Before even thinking about the warm and comforting sweatpants that sat folded in the middle of the room, Gavin scrambled to the side of the restroom and curled into as tight of a ball as he could achieve, his back pressed against the wall, and head between his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

Everything was aching and throbbing. He felt trapped, like this feeling would never go away. But he knew better. He knew that in a few hours, he would be just fine, and he would be drinking coffee and probably working on this new red ice file. But he couldn't rationalize that right now. His chest was tight and everything felt so in the moment. Gavin could have sworn that he had cotton in his ears, his breathing was just so Faded, and the static in the air was so loud.

All up until everything stopped with two sharp knocks on the solid metal door. Gavin held his breath, hoping whoever was there would just go away. He hadn't even really locked the door. It even felt as though his heart had stopped. The static in the air had ceased to exist entirely, and all that was left was Gavin's hesitation to even exist outside of this bubble he'd created, and the painful wait as he urged the person outside to just leave. But he didn't hear footsteps. Not even a single breath from the other side.

"Detective?" Shit, it was RK-nut fuck. Gavin didn't dare move, or make a single sound. Maybe he would just think that Gavin wasn't there and would just go away to look somewhere else? Gavin was still without pants and drawn into a tight ball against the tiled wall of the station bathroom. The only thing comforting him was the heated sweater that covered his upper half. Otherwise, he was laid bare to the world.

There was still nothing. No more knocks, and no carefully placed steps away from the door. It had been so long since anything happened that Gavin dared to take a small breath in, and suddenly, it all felt like he was drowning again. But he had to hold his breath. Or someone could hear. The static from his ears came back and the tightness in his chest was unrelenting. If ever there was a moment for him to be honest, Gavin would be so tempted to say now that he was utterly terrified.

And there it was again. The gentle rap of knuckles on the door. It sounded hesitant, and much softer than the first collision of hand with metal.

"Detective, are you alright in there?" He was still there, and the concern that Richard felt ached to slip into his tone. But he remained as cold as he could be, tone stiff and firm. "If you are having difficulties, I'm afraid I can't come in to assist. My programming won't allow me to enter a public restroom."

It wasn't that those words, the words that stated that he was safe in here as long as Richard stood guard at the door, allowed him to breathe. It was that he couldn't breathe, and every second that passed felt like Gavin was going to faint, so he opened his mouth and gulped down the air that he so desperately needed and wanted. He knew at this point that Richard could definitely hear him. And yet, Gavin didn't really care all that much. He knew that Richard wouldn't. Not in the slightest. So he let himself huff and collapse back to the ground. His shoulder stung as he shriveled even further into himself.

Gavin only let himself go because he knew that Richard could hear him. He knew that Richard now believed that Gavin was in some kind of pain. That, or dying. But he couldn't enter the restroom, and therefor, wouldn't let anyone else in. Gavin took his sweet time gathering his breath, forcing himself to real it all back in, shoving every insecurity, every stressful thought that pushed its way around his brain, and just beat it all back into the recesses of his mind. 

He was fine. He could deal with one curious robot. It would be easy. Especially because robots, whether they want to or not, still obey commands from humans. Especially because this robot was so far away from deviating, that Richard was practically factory set. So Gavin let himself struggle to breathe while Richard stood guard. While his presence was maintained at the door. He let himself take all the time he needed, which turned out to not be that much time at all.

"Detective, I'm beginning to worry that you may not be alright." Richard called again from the other side of the door, and Gavin slowly wiped any remnants of tears from his cheeks, gently splashed some water on his face, rolled up his sleeves, and carefully stepped into the still warm sweatpants. He found his shoes once more and shoved his feet into them. Of course his feet were cold, and of course it still put him on edge, but what harm could it do? He gathered the rest of his clothes into a wad and too one more moment to just breathe. 

"Detective?" Richard asked when he heard silence. Prior to this moment, he had just been waiting at Detective Reed's desk. But after twenty minutes passed and Reed still wasn't back, he began to worry. Only just barely of course. Not too much that it would be considered human, but healthily enough that he could still be called a proper android. Especially one that was newly assigned to what seemed to be a self destructive detective. At first, all he could hear from the other side of the door was aggressive huffing against something that sounded like it was containing Reed's breathing. Of course, Richard was concerned, but programming was programming. He wasn't a deviant. He wasn't quite sure that he ever would be. And he wasn't quite sure that he ever wanted to be.

Don't mistake his intentions, he wanted to be of free will and think for himself just as much as Connor. However, he saw the detective as he was now. Panicked, barely holding on to what sense of self that he did have left. And he knew damn well why he was even created. It was to replace the android that he looked up to so much. His emotions clouded his judgement. It made him unable to do what needed to be done for the better of the larger population. And despite what many people have begun to believe about Richard, he only ever had the best wishes of the human population on his mind. And if that meant that he wasn't truly aloud to feel, if that meant that he had to bend over backwards for a man that he knew for only a few hours, if that mean that he had to be a slave to all those in which he worked to protect, then he was fully prepared to accept all terms and conditions that applied to it. Just as long as the society that he was programmed to idealize could continue to work and function as best as humanly possible.

Richard had only lost himself in a revere for but a moment, as he was slapped aggressively out of it by the same detective that he had just vowed himself to. The pinched look on the mans face and residual reddened color in his eyes suggested crying, as well as some acute for of stress. But he was far from one to comment. He simply stepped aside and permitted the detective to continue on his way to his desk. Following dutifully behind.

They didn't say anything, and each doorway that passed without any sign of the detectives coworkers seemed to relax him even further. It appeared as though he was almost working up the courage to tell Richard something. Probably something to do with the case, or whatever it was that had just transpired within the confines of the public police station bathroom walls. But whatever it was, the android was fully prepared to comply and listen to whatever it was that the man had wanted to say. Just as long as he kept this tame form of attitude, that is. After all, Richard could only tolerate so much.

They made it back to their desk without so much of a whisper of any one else in the station besides some late working beat cops, and the receptionist that sat at the entrance of the facilities who was taking a break to get herself some coffee. She, despite popular rumors around the station and general belief, was not an android. Detective Reed sat quickly at his desk, arms releasing his wet clothes and dropping them to the floor on his right. Richard followed suit and sat in his own desk directly across form Reed's. For a moment, he almost felt special. Like there was some kind of important privilege that came with being able to tolerate Detective Reed. But, of course, that sensation was only for a brief moment, and passed as soon as Richard realized how stupid that concept was. He suddenly felt pathetic.

"Hey." Detective Reed called out. Richard felt even more pathetic for how quickly he let his head snap up. He was supposed to be giving this no-fucks-given detective the idea that he was just the same. That he was equally sarcastic and sinister. But after seeing the Detective in so many compromising moments already, he felt that maybe, just maybe, it could be better if he just was a tad kinder and a little less bitter to this detective he was assigned to. Detective Reed continued. "I think that some form of discretion is needed in this sort of scenario" He looked down and shuffled some of the papers on his desk, and Richard had to think for a moment.

Oh, of course. Detective Reed was referring to any sort of information that Richard could have gathered in his weakened state of mind. How could he have not understood earlier.

"Of course, Detective. I understand." There was a moment of silence after Richard's understanding confirmation, and Detective Reed settled the papers back down on his desk and looked up, barely catching Richards cold gaze. He tried to appear more soft, but the issued Android suit was designed to make him look more dominant and threatening. "Is there something else?" Maybe a prompt would help push out whatever he wanted to say. Of course, Detective Reed seemed almost tempted too respond fully, but his stress levels indicated for the briefest of moments, and instead he seemed to cross off whatever was on his mind.

"Yeah, let's do some research until dawn, then I'm going to head back to my place, get changed and get started on the ground work." Reed suggested, leaning over into his desk drawer and pulling out a worn notepad. The pages within were crinkled and multiple page flags were placed within, organized into a strange rainbow pattern. Richard dismissed it. 

In reality, Gavin wanted to ask if Richard would do that again. Stand guard at the bathroom door while he suffered the worst of his mid-night panic attacks, but maybe now was not the best time to really be delving into insecurities that would be best hidden. So he changed topics, the best way to avoid talking about any kind of insecurities, and pointed everything back onto his police work as a detective, what he did every time that anyone asked, even with is brother, the only person in the world that really knew him best. 

And then it hit him. Nostalgia. Perhaps the greatest motivator in the world aside from seething hatred. Of course, he held both when it came to his brother, but how could you not just despise your own sibling? Especially one you were so close to. Gavin found himself thinking that it was strange that he could still remember every single little detail about his brother, no matter the time of day. And maybe it was just that he was getting old, but Gavin felt a strange sensation that he just wanted to visit his brother. Or maybe it was just that he wanted to go to see him and rub it in his face that every promise he made to the media about all those lovely androids were wrong. At this point, both could probably be correct.

Gavin slipped out his pen and flipped open his notebook. He was almost out of pages. He would need a new notebook soon. Once he got to the last few open pages, he started writing down notes, and in small, abbreviated print in the corner of the page, he wrote something that he had written a thousand times on many other wrinkled pages in old notebooks. Not every time did he actually follow through with the note that he wrote himself in the corner, but now that he had some doting android to follow him around, with the ever existing possibility that it might get broken or beaten up, a nice refresher on the discounts that are available to him due to his relation would be nice. So he wrote 'L T Prior Vis', for old times sake.

He had no idea how he would slip it into his schedule with this new case, as it seemed to be huge, with a crime scene and already 10 witnesses needing questioning, but he was certain that there would be time somewhere in there. There was always 'time' for family.


	5. RK - Nut Fuck

Gavin shivered and squinted against the early morning lights and the cold early autumn air. The air was damp and the concrete was still wet from the downpour last night. It was only September 30. In his own opinion, the sun should stay out longer.

Gavin was still in the DPD issued sweats, his leather boots contrasting horribly with the soft gray fabric. In a plastic bag at his side were his clothes, that were oddly enough starting to smell musty. Around his shoulders and over the sweater was his own classic leather jacket, even though it was still wet. He would rather risk a cold than let bacteria grow on it and make it moldy. He's had it on for about an hour. The whole night prior, he had been going over crime scene notes and other information already gathered by Richard. Turns out it was a red ice case. They had an cop that was deep undercover with this drug ring, for almost 5 years. That is, before the cop made some dumb ass mistake and left his gear out in the open.

Gavin sighed and shook his head. The cop was killed out the backside of some strip club. The club had shut down just after the Android revolution, apparently every person in there being Android. A few of them never found another way of life and hung out inside of the club, despite the fact that it was boarded up. They all reportedly heard and saw everything. He was going to go check it out today, but he needed to change first.

"Detective, are we returning to your apartment?" Richard asked from behind him. Gavin would have almost been startled, if it hadn't been for the hiss of the automatic door as RK900 followed him out. Bowing his head, Gavin hunched his shoulders and began a swift march away from the android, uncaring if it followed or not. And, of course, it did. "Detective?" He called out again to Gavin, who was already fully prepared to break out into a sprint. And yet, he was too god damned tired to even make himself move like that. So instead, he just shuffled his feet with a little more haste, tips of his toes dragging against the concrete.

They continued like this, Richard trailing swiftly behind and Gavin ducking his head to avoid the critical gaze of everyone that passed him. He understood that the revolution changed the way that androids were treated worldwide, but Gavin couldn't help it if the dope trailing behind him didn't know when was a good time to take off the uniform, and stop acting like some kind of public servant. After a quick glance back, he even realized that Richard had his hands folded behind his back, almost like he was a prisoner that Gavin was leading to a death sentence.

Gavin didn't like this, not one bit. Of course it made sense for someone like Hank to have an android following him around, he was old, and the bot probably still stuck around just to make sure that the old shit didn't have a heart attack and die in the middle of an investigation. However, to see such a new and fully equipped model trailing behind a male who was clearly physically capable... Well, it raised some questions. And Gavin really didn't like the questions that people were asking themselves right now. Especially with the pained gazes that most of them held, faces looking pinched like prunes. The detective just shrugged his shoulders and kept trying to push onward, hoping to avoid any dip shit trying to start a fight.

"All Androids deserve the right to make their own decisions!" Damn, he spoke too soon. Rounding the corner into a populated square that was a convenient short cut to Gavin's apartment, the awkward pair found an overly aggressive group of protesters, trying to somehow gain even more android equality, even though it was already granted in Detroit.

"Shit." Gavin hissed and quickly swiveled around on his heal, doing all he could to try and avoid confrontation, Richard seemed confused and hesitated to turn around, apparently interested in what the pampered people of modern society had to say about others like him. Gavin stopped once he realized that Richard wasn't on his ass like he had been before, and didn't waste a moment to twist back around again and call out. "Uh..." Fuck. Shit. Shit-fuck. He couldn't remember the goddamned androids name. What was he supposed to call out with? He couldn't say 'plastic prick', 'bag of bolts', or any of the other terms that the fucker had gotten used to in the last few hours. Gavin was also definitely not about to call out its serial number. Especially not in front of all of these clearly high strung people wielding heavy signs, and fully prepared to wack a man to get their point across.

He was already cursing himself as he tilted the rest of his body around and wobbled back over to Rk900, feeling his heart rate increase at getting closer to the protesters, some of their eyes beginning to train on him, considering how well the bot stuck out with his bright white jacket looking like he was just delivered from cyber-life. Gavin reached out and tugged at whatever fabric on the bot that he could reach, which just so happened to be the back of that same machine issued jacket that he was already starting to despise, his eyes staying level on the crowd that only seemed to be growing on his position.

"Hey," Gavin whispered, almost unconsciously afraid of a brawl with so many people. Rk didn't turn around. 

"The oppressors need to learn their lesson! They need to understand that androids are no longer mindless drones." The crowd leader continued.

"Hey..." Gavin drawled again, tugging harder at the jacket, barely causing a shift in the android.

"They have feelings!" more shouts.

"Can you hear me?" Gavin was curious if Rk900 was maybe mad at him.

"Thoughts!" 

"Are you doing this on purpose?"

"We can't just let those who haven't accepted the law to keep on living in such a progressive world! We have to do something!!" Gavin couldn't hear all of the shouting from the protesters anymore.

"Dammit, Rk-nut fuck! Pay attention!" Gavin shouted into the ear of the android in front of him, tugging harshly on the back of the jacket, taking a fistful of the fabric and yanking, Jostling Rk900, and finally pulling him from his focus. However, he also pulled the attention of everyone that he was trying to avoid. His eyes widened in horror as everyone in the protesting crowd turned toward his shrinking position in the corner of the square, the crowd having maybe upwards of 30 people. "Fuck."

"You!" Another small man at the front of the crowd lifted an accusing finger to Gavin, who was almost tempted to shrink behind Rk. "How dare you abuse that android?!" The man called out, feet already moving to Gavin. 

Gavin's feet twisted around and he was about ready to sprint off, when someone reached out and grabbed the back of his collar, yanking and choking the air from his throat.

"The oppressors will suffer for their indiscretions!" A woman called out, as she also grabbed a chunk of fabric on Gavin's back. The mass of people surrounding him from every direction.

"Get off'a me! I'm a police officer, dammit!" Gavin struggled against the growing hold of the masses, his breath losing itself in the commotion, and the detective suddenly wondering where Rk was.

"Our society is even more corrupt than we thought! Even the police force is not abiding by the new laws!" Another protester shouted into the ears of any who listened. As Gavin struggled against the arms gripping his body, a fist found its way against his stomach, colliding with force and unafraid to strike again. Gavin coughed in pain, unable to prepare himself for the next blow that came from above, now that his legs crumpled beneath him. 

With the flood gates opened, no one hesitated to let their angers and frustrations out on Gavin's unwilling and limp body that curled into itself on the ground. Shoe after filthy shoe rammed its way past the meager defenses the detective had tried to implement and attacked his ribs, his trembling legs, and his bleeding face.

"Stop!" Richard shrieked, terrified. He had let the crowd almost consume Gavin. He had let the people hit Gavin. He had let everyone hurt Gavin, who was only wanting to go home. It was his fault. But no one heard him, just like he hadn't heard Gavin. Already berating himself, Richard no longer hesitated to throw himself into the fray, cold hands grabbing shoulders and heads of hair, yanking and tossing people out of his way without any hindrance. At first, he wanted to admire these people. These people were fighting for those like Richard, the androids that were still confused and not understanding how it was that they were supposed to function in this world without a command. But he was wrong. So, devastatingly wrong.

Reaching out and vaulting over a crouched protester, Richard finally made it to the center of the crowd, immediately bending down and scanning Detective Reed. Not quite unconscious, but definitely not in the position to be making coherent decisions. Reed was trembling, twitching away even after Richard tried to reach out and comfort him, his eyes squeezed tightly shut and blood trickling from his busted lip, his probably broken nose, and a gash that had formed above his left brow.

"You don't have to listen to him anymore. You're free. His orders over you are obsolete." Someone spoke out from among the mass of now scared protesters. Richard was furious, and they were right to be scared.

"He never gave me any orders," Richard fumed, standing and squaring his shoulders. "We are detectives of the Detroit Police Department. I suggest you all disperse and find some dark hole to crawl into for a while, because reinforcements will be arriving soon, and I will not mind happily placing warrants for the arrest of anyone who dared lay a disgusting, piss soaked finger on Gavin!" The people dissipated in mass around him, scurrying behind buildings and across the streets, almost getting run over. Even those that weren't involved in the protest hurried off in fear of what might happen if they were mistaken for the fools that tried to attack Richard's detective.

Richard bent down, quickly picking up Gavin, holding the body close. His heart rate was elevated far beyond what it should be, and his body temperatures were dropping again just as they had been last night, as he had been laying in a puddle with his once fluffy uniform sweats now drenched. Richard hurried forward, not knowing really where he should go in this sort of situation, but thinking maybe just to take Gavin back to his apartment might be the best call of action. 

"Thanks, Richard..." Gavin mumbled, eyes still pinched shut, though most likely in pain. Thankfully, he hadn't passed out. And of course now he can actually recall the fuckers name.


	6. Round 2

"Shit..." The word fled Gavin's mouth before he could stop it. Well, more like, the pain he felt made it so he couldn't afford to stop it. 

"You know, you could have just said my name." Richard said in reference to the situation that they sat in now. He was still adorned in that pitiful uniform that Gavin already detested. He'd barely known this guy for one night, and already he had some aggressive opinions about everything that he did.

"I couldn't remember it!" Gavin retaliated, all the while wildly waving his arms about his head. Richard ducked back from his focus and the position that he had been crouched in. Gavin rested his back against the couch once Richard leveled a glare on him. The android was doing his best to patch up every injury he could actively see on this unwilling detective. And of course, it was proving far more difficult that Richard thought was ever necessary. 

"Stop moving before I give you a scar you can really worry about." Richard placed his unoccupied hand on Gavin's shoulder as he moved back in, swiping the alcohol swab over his left brow. The gash that had formed there was pretty serious, but nothing Richard couldn't fix with the meager supplies he had before him. For some reason, instead of an actual thermometer, Gavin thought it would be funny to replace it with cheese-balls. Along with half of the proper supplies needed for a med-kit. At this point, it was basically a box with band-aids, alcohol swabs and cheese-balls. But at least Gavin was eating the puffs. "But you said it when I was taking you here?" Richard quirked a brow. He couldn't figure it out in himself if it was only to show he was asking a question, or possibly to flex on the smaller before him.

"Don't you think I know that, dipstick! I meant at the time." Gavin hissed as Richard ran his fingers over the detectives already bruising nose. "Besides. It's not entirely my fault. You weren't fucking listening to me." Now Richard was curious and annoyed. Probably annoyed because the second that he mended the bust in Gavin's lip, the angry detective just wouldn't stop talking. And curious because he really didn't think that anything else was going on in that moment than what those protesters were saying. He'd say that there's a bug in his system, but... he didn't want to accept what it meant.

"You're right, I guess I just got lost in their movement." Richard moved his fingers across Gavin's nose once more, feeling the bone underneath. Of course it felt a little bit out of place, but everything was where it should have been for how many times the Detective had probably broken it in the past. "And lucky you, your nose isn't broken."

"Yeah, well next time, you should get caught up in our movement. The one that we were making to get home!" Gavin huffed, leaning forward and crossing his legs. "And I don't give a shit about my nose, damn it!" Gavin clenched his sleeve into the palm of his hand. He really wanted to be alone right now, and just call a sick day in work, but there was still so much that had to be done, and Gavin really wasn't looking forward to all of the legwork that was clearly required for this case.

"Detective, I've been meaning to ask." Richard called out and broke Gavin from his annoyed stupor. He looked up to show he was listening and ready for the question. "What are these beings that have been avoiding me around your house?" Gavin snorted at his question, heaving himself up onto his feet. "I'm not done taking care of your injuries. I still have to apply a plaster to your brow." 

"Ah, leave it. I've had worse and treated it less." Gavin disappeared behind the corner, crouching down and picking up something. He came back with a fluffy creature in his arms, smile adorning his face as he stroked a hand down the beings spine. "She's been hiding cause she doesn't know you. Just let her sniff." Gavin set down the creature and it stepped towards Richard, who then immediately recoiled at the strange movement. It reminded him of Lieutenant Anderson's dog, Sumo. However, it's movement was off and it stalked rather than lumbered. 

"Is this a dog?" Richard asked and looked up to Gavin, who seemed absolutely flabbergasted at his question. Perhaps Richard was being more stupid than he thought he was, however, he had only existed for maybe a year, and he'd been living among Lieutenant Anderson and Connor this whole time. Both of which stuck to their mutts and often disregarded every other animal. 

"Are you being phckin serious right now? That, you dipshit, is a cat. My cat, to be clear. Her name is Socks." Gavin said, squatting down and enjoying how the 'cat's' black figure curled around his knee and trotted behind him, only to come back around and rub its face into his calf. "Here," Gavin said, picking up the cat and holding 'her' forward to Richard, "Hold her. She's friendly enough." 

Richard reached out, hands hesitant, not really knowing how to grasp such a being. But Gavin shoved her into his arms anyways, situating his hands around the slender figure of Socks and supporting Richards arms to hold her properly. Even the small cat seemed uncomfortable with this situation, all the while, Gavin was withholding his laughter behind a hand, evidently struggling to hide his giddiness. 

"Wasn't there another one?" Richard asked, arms staying completely still, although Socks began to move and struggle in his arms.

"Yeah, but, I think you need to work up to Lady. She's a little aggressive." Gavin watched, almost transfixed as he tried to figure out what Socks was doing. Her lithe figure climbed out of the hold that Richard had on her and curled up to the androids shoulder. Richard remained unmoving while Socks roamed, almost afraid of what those claws could do that she was using to maneuver herself across his arm.

"I hardly think I'm even ready for this one." Richard flinched when she began to sniff his head, very clearly uncomfortable. Gavin shrugged, still very amused with this situation. 

"If you want, you can feed 'em. That'll get them to warm up to ya quick enough." Gavin reached out, grabbing Socks off of Richard's shoulder and cradling her in his own arms. He turned and led the way beyond the living room, into a separate, and far smaller, room. It was clearly a kitchen. But it was ill stocked. All cupboard handles seemed to be caked in dust, likely rarely opened. Which made sense, as there were two cups on the counter, two plates, two bowls, two full sets of silverware, and a few sets of chopsticks. In a block farther back on the counter were many knives of different sizes. Everything on the counter was extremely clean. Despite tons of evidence stacked suggesting that Gavin was a horrible slob, it was shocking to find that everything within his apartment was almost uncomfortably clean.

"I don't think I should do that, I'll just stand by and watch." Richard walked over the table in the middle of the kitchen. It had only one chair. Richard couldn't help but find this odd as everything else in the room seemed to be in sets of two. Even the two cats, with two separate sets of food and water bowls. 

He wanted to ask Gavin where the other chair went, and as he was about to push the words out of his mouth, he stopped just short, looking over to Gavin. He was crouched down, arm extended and pouring food into the bowls for his cats, and looking seemingly content as Socks and Lady trotted out from their hiding spots and brushed their faces against whatever appendage of his that they could reach. But his shoulders trembled and shook, and his expression was tight. Clearly Gavin was reaching his limit with any kind of personal interaction. Richard almost wanted to leave to give him his deserved space. But there were still so many things that needed to be done.

"If you would like, I could take lead on the investigation for a few hours and go question the androids while you recuperate here?" Richard offered, his form slouching and arms crossing over the table. He watched and barely avoided visibly cringing as he witnessed Gavin flinch. Richard watched the small mans vitals skew in his panic. 

"I, uh- ahem" Gavin cleared his throat, standing up and leaving the cats to eat. "I should take lead, I just need a second to get changed into some actual clothes." He tried to excuse himself. But Richard watched as Gavin bunched the sleeves of his over-sized sweater, and examined how his shoulder hunched and kept shaking.

"Detective, wait." Richard sprung up, his arms dangling at his sides, feeling as though he should be doing something with them, and yet, there was nothing to do. Nothing that would cross any line that had already been formed. Gavin froze, hands still worrying at the hems of his sleeves. Richard watched in partial amusement as the Detective struggled to look more imposing as he turned back around. He tried and failed to successfully square his shoulders and glared halfheartedly at Richard.

"The phck you want, tin can." Gavin growled. It was mainly in an attempt to hide the shake in his voice, and the anxiety that wouldn't stop seizing in his chest.

"I just..." Richard hesitated, his head falling and eyes doing a brief scan on Gavin's vitals. His heart rate was rapid, and his body temperatures seemed to keep dropping. Though that could probably be explained by the low temperatures of his apartment.

"Since when does an arrogant bot like you hesitate?" Gavin hissed, tilting his head back. Another attempt to hide his insecurities as tears start to pool and his throat started to close, but he couldn't let his bitterness drop. Admittedly, if Gavin wasn't milliseconds away from a very horrible nervous breakdown, he would find Richards actions absolutely hilarious and would be endlessly mocking him for it. But this was the best that he could muster at a moment like this. And yet nothing could ever prepare him for the surprises that Richard kept giving him.

"Are you okay? You don't have to do anything if you aren't feeling well." Richard articulated, and stood straighter, attempting to hold what little ground he had. And Gavin was thrown for a loop. He'd told this asshole to fuck off a million different ways by this point, and yet, here he was, asking Gavin if he was okay. 

"I'm-" Gavin's voice caught, and he had to stop to breathe just a bit more. He didn't want to cry, but he could feel his face twitch as he forced his tears back and his head started to throb. Clearing his throat, Gavin dipped his head and started to walk away. "I'm fine." and his shoulders shook, and he wouldn't say it but his cheeks started to wet with his own tears. Gavin wanted desperately to just get to his room and hide and cower and try to calm down. 

"Detective, I think there is something wrong. Are you sure you're okay?" Richard tried to follow after Gavin, who was hurrying away.

"Leave me alone, tin-can." Gavin hurried to his room, trying his best not to trip over Lady and Socks that trotted around between his feet. He was terrified of seeming weak, and he definitely didn't want Richard to see him cry. And yet he couldn't help but flinch at each step he heard closing in behind him. 

"I really don't think you should be alone right now, Detective." Richard called to the fleeting figure in front of him.

"Fuck. Off." Gavin's voice cracked and he hated how it was high pitched, and he hated how he couldn't help crying. And then there was relief, as he reached his room, and didn't look back as he closed the door. 

"Detective, please! I'm concerned for your health." Richard's voice is muffled from behind the door. Gavin's legs fell from under him and he came crashing to the floor. "Detective!"

"I'm, I'm fine! Just give me... gimme a minute..." Gavin's voice faded as he became lightheaded and the world started to spin. A cold sweat dripped down his spine and he was finding it incredibly difficult to breathe. Another time? In the same fucking day!? 

Gavin was furious with himself. He should have had more control over himself than this. This was just pathetic. He shouldn't be having this much of a problem. What the hell is wrong with him? He'd only just met this asshole that was hiding out somewhere in his apartment, and yet he's already broken down twice. What the in the actual fuck is wrong with him!? He had to get himself together.

Richard was freaking out. There were alarms all over his systems, warnings flashing in the sides of his sensors. Richard had registered the 'attack' that Gavin had endured earlier, and it seemed much better managed than this one. This seemed frantic, unprepared and hateful. He felt nervous. He could hear the pained breaths from behind the door, and taking a quick scan he watched the vague figure of Gavin writhe on the floor. 

Along with noticing Gavin's struggling, he also noticed that the door wasn't locked. Maybe he could go inside? Maybe he could try to help? He hadn't been given any order to stay out of Gavin's room. This wasn't like at the police station. He could do something. He could help. So why wasn't he moving? 

Technically, the Detective wasn't in actual physical danger, so he shouldn't really try to intervene in this clearly private occurrence. This didn't fall under the umbrella of his responsibilities. He didn't really have to do anything. But maybe he just should. 

Richard shuffled awkwardly. He heard Gavin curse multiple times from behind the door. Fuck it.

"Detective? I think I should come in to ensure your safety. Do I have your permission to enter?" Richard asked, the tips of his fingers resting on the door. And he didn't hear anything by more panicked breathing. It seemed like things were escalating but he couldn't tell if it was his fault. Would it be best if he kept pressing? Or should he just back off and wait for it to stop? 

Richard was about to leave it. Just go sit in that one lonely chair in the kitchen, hopefully not have to deal with those weird fluffy creatures that have been dancing outside of the door around him. Maybe even leave the apartment all together and go question the androids at the dance club.

"Richard?"


	7. The Walls Are Up

"Richard?" a pathetic voice calls from behind the other door. The android quickly turns around. The few steps that he had taken away from the door were suddenly no more, his hand resting against the nob on the partition of Gavin and himself once more. 

"Detective?" Richard calls back, waiting for any kind of direction. 

"Get out." Gavin speaks with bitter finality. Richard is taken aback. He thought that, maybe, just maybe, he and Gavin had made some kind of progress, even if they had only known each other for just a few hours. But it seems as though he is mistaken. 

"Of course. I will be waiting outside." Richard didn't even question the Detective. He didn't even want to try. Sure, there might have been progress at some point, but perhaps Richard had just pushed it too far. He'd be sure to remind himself of boundaries from now on. 

As soon as Gavin heard the door to his apartment close tightly, he shoves his palm into his forehead, wiping the sweat away. His breathing is still strained, and his vision is still blurry. But he didn't have time for this. He's already hating himself for letting someone that he doesn't even know see so much of his insecurities. 

He needs to put his walls up, and they need to stay up. 

Gavin pushes himself from the floor, swaying as he walks to the closet and changes quickly for the second time today. As soon as he is back in his classic jeans and a shitty long-sleeve shirt, he slings on his shoulder holster, his gun sliding nicely into the strap and clipping into position. Gavin is then quick to put on his jacket and shoes, his badge, wallet and phone going into his back pockets. 

Just as Gavin is about to leave the sanctuary of his room, he turns and grabs the largest jacket that he has. However, the largest jacket that he has is a black pea coat jacket. Well, he supposes that it would work for what he needs it to work for. Gavin had never worn it, as it was far too big to even look reasonable on him. It was left-over from a previous relationship that he definitely didn't need to be thinking about right now. Though, seeing as that man would never be in his life ever again, he didn't see an issue with relinquishing the jacket for a better purpose.

Letting the jacket drape over his arm, Gavin steps from his room and hurries to the front door. As he leaves he grabs his car keys from the key ring that hangs from the wall. Richard is already waiting for him outside, leaning against the railing in front of him. As the apartment door hisses shut slowly behind Gavin, the two stand in an awkward silence. Until Gavin quickly clears his throat, and holding the pea coat jacket forward. 

"Take off that dumb ass Cyberlife jacket and wear this." Gavin states without room for question. Richard takes the pea coat jacket, and is still half tempted to deny the offer. Richard isn't certain how well the jacket will fit him, as he is several inches taller than Gavin. But after the incident earlier, Richard figures this is the best course of action. 

Gavin continues down the stairs and towards the car garage for his apartment complex. Of course, the car that Gavin owns is not quite his. It is a rental that he got through the Detroit Police Department. His main choice of transportation had always been a motorcycle, but he found out very quickly that motorcycles don't work well when you need to travel inconspicuously. As Richard follows Gavin, he carefully removes his Cyberlife jacket. The only other times that he had removed this jacket previously was when it needed to be washed. And even then, he was right back in it as soon as it was clean. He had never truly wanted or understood why there might be a necessity to change what it is that he wears. However, after watching Gavin get pummeled because Richard stood out too much as an android, it cleared his eyes a great deal.

Upon reaching the car, Gavin unlocked it, hopping into the drivers seat, and Richard quickly taking his position in the seat next to him, already having slid into the pea coat jacket. Richard folded the Cyberlife jacket and rests it carefully in the back seat while Gavin slides the key into the ignition, starting the car. Gavin spares a quick glance towards Richard while he puts the Cyberlife jacket behind them, admiring the calmer look that the pea coat jacket gives him. Though, he apparently stares too long, as Richard returns with his own hard gaze.

"Is something wrong, Detective?" Richard asks, returning to his proper sitting position and putting his seat belt on. Gavin shakes his head, putting the gear in reverse and speaking as he pulls out of the parking spot. 

"Try undoing the top button on your collar, you still look like a plastic bitch sent to kill Sarah Connor." Gavin suggest while looking side to side as he pulls from the parking garage and continues on his way to the strip club. Richard takes a moment to think, LED swirling a bright yellow as he searches the identity of Sarah Connor.

"I searched the entire Detroit Police Department database of murders, and found now case involving a 'Sarah Connor'. Is that a federal case?" Richard inquires, head tilting and watching Gavin, though the Detective keeps his eyes firmly on the road. It is clear that Gavin is trying to withhold something, as his cheeks puff slightly with air and the tilt of his mouth suggest a smirk. Gavin sighs, though, exhaling all air in his mouth, and the pinch in his expression left as well. 

"I'm not even going to tell you how wrong that is." Gavin mutters, and there is amusement in his voice. Perhaps Richard did something funny. If he did, he is very unaware of what it is that he did. 

The rest of the car ride is spent in silence as Gavin quickly transports them to the closed down strip club. Once there, they would go around and question the few remaining androids that still squatted there. 

As Gavin pulled up to the side of the road, easily parallel parking against he curb, he sees movement coming from behind the beat-up walls of the strip club. He cringes at the thought of anything living in this dump, let alone a group of about 10 different androids living here. While he was generally okay with the new found equality of androids, he thought it was dumb that the government had no transition plan for those integrating androids that weren't yet deviant, and only knew what they were programmed for. 

He turns off the car and checks over his shoulder before getting out of the car, Richard waiting for only a moment before joining Gavin on the curb. Though, as he stands there, Gavin feels something off about the building before him. He doesn't know if it's an actual gut feeling, or his anxieties acting up again, but he decides that it would be best to ignore this feeling, as there is no reason for him to feel like that right now. 

Gavin begins to approach the building, his hands stuffed into his pockets. Instead of staring straight ahead, he glances around and notices the orange cones and sectioned off areas all around him, including the super sized construction equipment working on the building next door, though he couldn't tell what that new building was going to be. 

"Detective, I am detecting a large amount of alcohol in the current area. The air is pungent with the scent." Richard comments quietly as they continue in their approach. Gavin scoffs.

"You don't have to be an android to know that shit." Gavin kicks at a rock under foot, the pebble jumping forward. "It's nothing to be worried about. This is a decommissioned strip club, I'm certain there is a lot of alcohol that never got taken care of properly when everything was shut down." He continues, and suddenly feels like gagging. While, before, the scent of alcohol was something in the back of his mind while he approached the building, it now danced in the forefront of his thoughts as they got closer. The scent mixed disgustingly with the scent of gasoline from the worksite next door. 

"I still have my concerns with this area. I believe that we should continue with caution." Richard states, his eyes scanning the area around them. They were only about ten feet from the entrance now. 

"Listen here, dipshit. I think we are well enough equipped so that we'll be fine in an-"

BOOM!


	8. Boom?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having way too much fun writing this. It might seem psycho now, but just wait. It will all make sense. Every reaction happens for a reason.

Richard doesn't know how it happened, or how he had missed the tell tale signs of this catastrophic event. The construction next door, the fire burning in the trash can, the scent of alcohol and gasoline. He just felt so god damned stupid. 

The shrapnel moved slowly, the fire of the explosion blooming outward and dancing towards the sky. Or, slowly for him. His analytics ran faster than the speed of light, some would say. And he spotted it. All shrapnel was coming towards them. And more dangerously, towards Gavin. 

Richard's system finally catches up with his intent as he reaches out, yanking Gavin by his arm and shoving him to the dirt below. He then crowds himself over Gavin before there is another chance for thought, reaction, or analysis of the situation. 

Richard would never say that he could feel things. Especially physical things as they dance over his artificial flesh. But that was a lie. He was built to be as 'human' as he could be. And damn. This fucking hurt. 

Shards of glass and metal skewer into his back, though none deep enough to do any kind of damage to his internal systems, for which he is glad. But he feels the fire lick up his spine, scorching his back as he shuts his eyes tight, shoving Gavin further into the dirt. He could hear Gavin's panicked breathing right by his ear. He could hear his heart rate spike and continue irregularly while the explosion finally came to a painful close, a pole slapping sideways against his back, shattering something. 

At some point, things stopped falling out of the sky. Though Richard still pinned Gavin to the ground. He wasn't sure if it was a security measure or not. He can't tell if the ringing he hears is sirens of approaching police cars or that his audial processors are broken. He needs to run diagnostics. 

"Damn it, Richard, move!" Gavin shouts, and it takes far too much effort for Richard to open his eyes. Gavin is crying, scared, and shaking like a leaf. "You're back is fucking on fire!" Gavin is still yelling, pushing at Richard's shoulders. 

The diagnostics run. And in this moment, Richard realizes he might be a little fucked. The pole that had shot from the building shattered his artificial spine, and he could no longer move. Though, one of the shrapnel that managed to literally stab him in the back did manage to turn off his pain receptors, and for that he is thankful. This situation would be much more easily handled if he was not fighting off the urge to vomit, if he even could. He had never tested that function of his bowel system. 

"Fuck, tin can, do you hear me!?" Gavin shouts again, his voice shaking and some sort of fear is taking him over. Richard has been staring for too long. 

"Detective, I apologize." Richard starts calmly, and the sound of his voice is broken and shattered. Apparently his audial communications device had also been corrupted in the explosion. "I am currently unable to move my body." He finishes, and does a quick bodily scan over Gavin, seeing no broken bones or bloodies spots on his clothes. "Are you alright?" He asks, and Gavin freezes, pausing in his attempts for a moment, looking both shocked and annoyed. 

"ME!! Are you fucking serious! I'm fine! You're the one that's on fire!!" Gavin cries, though the shake in his voice is gone. 

"I apologize for my current condition, there was no time for hesitancy." Richard comments, tempted to roll his eyes, but deciding against it considering his current condition. As Gavin continues his shoving at Richards shoulders, Richard spots something in the corner of his vision. "Detective, I would also like to apologize, but it would appear as though I am about to shut down." Richard sighs, looking back down to Gavin, his fingers singed at the tips from trying to shove the heavy android body off of him. 

Gavin blanches. 

"Are you fucking serious right now?" Gavin hisses, a fire growing in the reflection of his eye. With a deep breath, followed by a heinous cough, Gavin somehow manages to plant his feet under him, shoving upward with a grunt. 

Richard falls to the ground, landing on his back, the fire ultimately being extinguished. Though, he lets out a painful cry. All the shrapnel was just shoved further inside of him. Red lights were blaring in his sights. Along with many of his other important components, his Thirium pump has also been damaged, and actively leaks thirium out of every open wound. Though something did snap back into place. His pain receptors were now full operational. 

Fuck. 

"Fuck. Shit. Shit fuck!" Gavin grumbles, his hands a dark black color, along with some parts of his face from being at such close proximity to fire. The tips of his hair looked singed. But Gavin wasn't looking at his hands, he was shuffling across the dirt to sit right next to Richard. His hands, though burned and leaking blood, went to cover any hole that he could find on Richard, though all of the damage is on his back.

"De-detecctiv-e. Rema-in calm. Radio f-f-or he-lp." Richard's voice glitches and breaks as he speaks, his time running short. Gavin still seems to be panicking as he looks back and forth from Richard's leaking body to his car, that sat a good ways away, somehow still perfectly fine despite the wreckage. 

Gavin's ears were ringing, and he doesn't know the protocol for this kind of situation. Should he try to stop the bleeding? Should he go and check for survivors? 

He'd never had to work with any kind of androids before!! 

"Shit..." Gavin curses, then, with a final glance to Richard, decides on what to do. "Fuck, stay here. I'll be right back." Gavin hobbles and teeters as he stands to his feet, patting Richard on the chest once before sprinting as fast as he could to the car. Which wasn't very fast. He fell at least once, tripping over air in his haste. Though he would never admit that. 

Reaching the car, Gavin takes more deep breaths, willing the pain in his hands away so that he can still use them. So that he can still help. He yanks the passenger door open, leaning in, his feet dangling out of the car. He snatches up the radio, half tempted to use his teeth to turn on the radio with how much his hands are bleeding. But he swallows, shoving his thumb against the button, and begins as he hears the grating scratch of the receiver. 

"This is Detective Reed, we have a 10:13, officer down." Gavin gasps for air, feeling like his lungs are closing in on him. "There's been an explosion, Possible survivors inside of the building. I need immediate back up!" He pronounces, letting go of the button, and unintentionally dropping the entire radio receiver with how shaky his hands are. 

"Copy that, Detective. What's your location?" A smooth voice calls back through the radio, and Gavin grips his fists tight, forcing them to stop shaking. An impossible task really. He reaches back down, knuckles scraping against the carpet in the car as he snatches up the radio.

"The old Eden Club, just off of West Outer Drive!" Gavin drops the radio again, though this time on purpose. He can hear the beginning of sirens in the distance as he rushes back down the slight hill, sliding to his knees as he gets back to Richard. 

Though, as he slides up to the android, he can clearly see that he is too late. Richard's icy blue eyes are glazed over, now a dull gray, along with his usually shining LED. 

Gavin doesn't know how to react, or respond to this moment. 

He had heard from Chen that the first time Anderson watched Connor die, he cried. But Gavin didn't feel like crying. 

No. 

Gavin felt like beating the shit out of something. 

Gavin punches his fist into the ground, the skidding of tires on the road next to him doesn't alarm him, especially not with all of the sirens. He didn't mean to punch someone, especially not one of the paramedics that came in just after the firefighters went rushing up to the still flaming building. But his already bloody and burnt knuckles still left an imprint on someones nose. Though he can't remember who. 

He can feel someone restraining him and holding him down, while another person straps him to a board from an ambulance. 

Gavin doesn't know why he's so angry. He doesn't know why he so suddenly feels like exploding. 

But he also doesn't know where they are taking him, or what is happening to Richard, who's lifeless body is currently being ignored by everyone. As more troopers roll into the scene, no one even looks down to his bloodied body. It's a fake blood, of course, but still bloody and beaten. 

Gavin doesn't know where this strength comes from, but he rips his arms free again from the straps that they were trying to tie him down into, screaming. 

"Why the fuck are you ignoring him! He's right there! Do something!" Gavin shouts, kicking and growling. A medics arm gets too close to his face, and he lunges to bite it. Though before he can feel his angry teeth sink into flesh, a hand wraps around his forehead, yanking his entire upper body down onto the board.

"Hold still, fucker!" Anderson shouts above him, his old gray hair tied back neatly into a ponytail. Likely Connors doing. Hank holds him down by his shoulders, distracting him well enough while the paramedics strap down the rest of his body, even getting the chest restraints. 

"Fucking go get Richard!" Gavin continues to thrash around, though it is more managed. Hank gently wipes Gavin's hair from his face, hushing him quietly, his aggressive hold over Gavin's shoulders loosening. 

"Calm down, calm down. Connor's got him." Hank hushes while Gavin strains to turn his head to see Richard. Just out of the corner of his eye, he spots Connor's vague figure squatting down and picking up the dead weight of Richard, throwing him over his shoulder. 

Though, Gavin, for some reason, still can't seem to calm down. He still struggles against his restraints. 

"Where am I going? Where is Richard going?" Gavin spits, demanding answers, a crazed look in his eye. Hank gives him an odd look, letting go of his head.

"We're going to the hospital. You're beat up pretty bad." Hank walks around the board that Gavin is strapped to while it is suddenly raised to the air. That doesn't help Gavin, though, as he continues to panic, looking around frantically. Hank looks down to Gavin's leg, finding that, just below his calf on his right leg, there is a rip, dripping with blood. Hank points it out to the paramedics silently, who nod in understanding. 

"What about Richard, where is he going?" Gavin frantically questions, looking around anxiously as Hank follows them into the ambulance. 

"Richard has to go somewhere else to get better, he was custom made and is one of a kind." Hank explains while the doors of the ambulance shut and the vehicle starts moving.

"Sir, please move aside, we have to sedate him." The paramedic calmly interjects, a syringe in hand.

"The hell you will!!!" Gavin shouts, thrashing around once more. The syringe is dropped back into a container as Hank and the other two paramedics work together to keep him down.

"Don't worry, son. We aren't going to do anything. Don't worry." Hank reassures, patting him dumbly on his shoulder with a dopey grin on his face. 

"Sir, but we-" One of the paramedics starts.

"He's got something in his system. Don't give him anything until you find out what it is." Hank finishes, shutting down the paramedics while sliding out of the way. 

They continue to ride in silence. The medics wrap up Gavin's hands as best as they can, at least to stop the bleeding.


	9. I Have To Leave

Dazed and confused, Gavin wakes blearily. The lights above him hurt his head, and for some reason, he can't move his hands or legs. A panic takes him as he tries to sit up, to see what pins his legs. He's held down by foam restraints that tie him to the sides of the hospital bed he lays in.

"What the shit?" Gavin curses, his head falling back onto the pillow that he was rested on. He could feel the bandages against his hands, his fingertips still burning and throbbing. Speaking off, his head was pounding. He doesn't know if it was the lights, his anxiety, or what. But he is in a lot of fucking pain. 

"Welcome back, sleeping beauty." A gruff voice grumbles beside him. Gavin winces as he turns his head to find Hank sitting beside him in a painfully plastic chair. 

"What happened?" Gavin demands, closing his eyes again and trying to control his breathing. His head really fucking hurts. Hank sighs, and Gavin can hear him move in his chair to his left. 

"How much do you remember?" Hank asks, his chair scraping against the ground as he scoots forward. Gavin cringes at the sound, thinking back to the last thing that he can remember. 

"I remember getting to the old Eden club, and then it all get's kind of fuzzy." Gavin's voice is strained, and very dry. He could definitely use a cup of water. "Why the fuck am I strapped down?" Gavin pulls at his hands again, though finds that they still won't move. Unsurprisingly.

"You attacked the paramedics after the explosion. They didn't know how you would react once you woke up." Hank explains tiredly, and Gavin almost sits right up again, though is pinned once more by the restraints.

"Explosion?! What!" He shouts, eyes flashing open as he stares at Hank. "Are you fucking with me?" Gavin glares, and Hank just huffs, hand running over his beard. 

"I wish. But no." Hank starts, his hand ruffling his hair, making it even worse. "After you got to the Eden Club, the whole place went up. Richard covered you, but he went down from damages. Your hands got burnt in the explosion." Just as Hank finishes, the door to the room slides open, and despite the pain in his head, Gavin whips his head around and spots someone.

For a moment, he thought it was Richard. For a small moment, he was more relaxed. Then he saw the honey eyes. Damn. He hated how similar the two of those dumb-asses looked. 

"Good morning, Gavin. I'll go notify the doctors that you have risen." Connor nods to him, and shuffles back out of the room. Hank makes a motion to follow him, but Gavin tries to reach out, somehow forgetting that he is still pinned to the bed. Hank spots the struggle, and halts in his movement. 

"You aren't going anywhere, I still have questions that need answers." Gavin utters, his voice dropping in volume as it is getting more difficult to speak without the urge to throw up. Hank sighs, sitting back in his chair and kicking his legs out in front of him. 

"You attacked the paramedics because, during the explosion, somehow, some kind of mutated red ice got into your system, likely through the cut on your leg, and it made you go psycho angry." Hank starts, and Gavin doesn't try to interrupt him. "Richard isn't functional, as he is a custom model and is one of a kind. He needs to be taken somewhere else to be fixed, and Connor has been doing the rounds will all android manufacturers trying to find someone that can repair him." Hank stands, his hands shoving into his pockets. "Is that all." He adds, and Gavin doesn't respond. He simply closes his eyes and relaxes his head against the stack of pillows behind him. "Good." Hank mumbles, and walks out of the room. 

Gavin is thankful to be alone, but he still doesn't have all the answers he wants to have. Where did the red ice come from? How was he going to fix Richard? Would Richard even be able to get fixed. 

Then it dawns on him. He knows what he has to do. But he has to get out of here.

"Mr. Reed. It's good to see that you're finally awake." A cheery doctor steps into the room, clipboard in hand. Gavin barely opens his eyes to watch him walk in, picking up the chart at the end of his bed. 

"Yeah, I feel great doc. I'd like to leave." Gavin says as happily as he can, but his voice his still strained. The doctor looks at him a bit confusedly. 

"Well, let's start by getting you out of these restraints." The doctor says, stepping around the bed and taking the restraints off one by one. Once Gavin is free, he sits up carefully, looking down at his hand. Each finger was wrapped individually in clean white cloth. Fun. "How's your head feeling." The doctor moves around to the other side of the bed, taking the chair that Hank was sat in not too long ago. 

"Feels fine." Gavin lies, pushing down the nausea that he gets from sitting up. The doctor smiles, checking something off on his clip board. 

"Right, well, I'll have to apologize, Mr. Reed, but we can't let you leave just yet. From the information that we have, I understand that you live alone." The doctor looks up from his clipboard, and Gavin carefully nods in conformation. "We can't let you leave, as there is still a danger that you could fall asleep, and simply not wake up. During the explosion, you suffered some damage to the head, and I'd like to keep you here to monitor." He explains, crossing his arms over his lap and holding the clip board to his chest. Gavin huffs. 

"I don't need to be monitored. I'm fine. I feel fine. I'd like to leave." Gavin repeats himself, crossing his legs and resting his elbows on his knees, trying to ground himself as the room sways. The doctor gives a small chuckle.

"If you had an android to watch over you, this would be a different conversation. But you have no one that can properly monitor your condition." The doctor explains, a smile dancing over his features. Gavin wants to punch him, for some reason. He bites down his urge to be aggressive towards this man, forcing a smile instead. 

"Hank, the man that was just in here, can watch me. He also has an android that is fully capable of monitoring my condition. I want to leave." Gavin persists, his fingers twitching almost imperceptibly. Enough so that the doctor didn't notice. The doctor sighs, rubbing his chin slightly. 

"Well, I guess I can't keep you if you have someone that is capable of keeping an eye on you." The doctor relents, standing from the chair. Gavin flinches at the grating sound. The doctor doesn't notice. "I'll arrange for your release, and have someone bring you in some clothes." He nods as he makes his way out of the room. 

Once he is gone, and Gavin is certain he won't come back, he kicks his legs over the side of the bed. He had to turn this goddamned light off. As soon as he stands, though, his knees fail and he's right back on his ass. Though this time, on the ground. Gavin sighs, and is thankful when no one comes in to help. He doesn't know why, but his legs just felt so shaky now that he could move them. 

Sliding himself over to the wall, he pushes himself to his knees. Then shakily to his feet, wobbling against the wall. He can feel his ass hanging uncomfortably out the back of his hospital gown. God, he hoped that someone would bring him clothes soon. 

Once he reached the light switch, he flipped it off quickly, finding immediate relief in his head. He would have been happy with going through all of this just to turn off the light, if only he wasn't now swallowing bile that was forcing its way up his throat, and literally dripping with sweat. 

Taking a deep breath, Gavin swallows again, and turns around, sliding back against he wall. He makes a valiant effort to make it back to the bed (not really, of course), but his legs fail him once more, and he slides to the floor, the cold tile sticking to his sweating skin. The entire room seemed to blur around him with white speckles filling the rest. 

Gavin wanted to think that he was having a panic attack. But that didn't feel right. A panic attack felt nothing like this. 

He closes his eyes, rubbing his palm against his forehead and forcing himself to find a center. Thankfully, he finds it just as the door next to him opens. 

"Gavin, the fuck you doin' on the floor?" Hank grumbles, reaching out a hand. Gavin takes it, hoping that his legs work well enough. 

"Bed was too warm." Gavin slurs and leans against Hank while Connor turns on the light. "Shit." He hisses, closing his eyes and holding his arm up over his head. He hears another click and the lights are off again. 

"Are you sure that you want to leave? You don't really look like your in any condition to go anywhere." Connor interjects, and Gavin gives him as stern of a glare as he can manage, though he feels like it doesn't have the usual bite. He's feeling oddly mellow. 

"'m fine. Clothes." Gavin breathes as he sits on the edge of the bed, and Connor passes him a set of sweats that he likely got from the DPD. Gavin doesn't mind, of course, he just really wants to wear his own clothes. Connor gives a brief nod to Hank before they both leave the room, closing the door behind them. 

In reality, Gavin really does feel like absolute shit. But now was not the time to be doing any of this. If he had to guess, Hank and Connor were keeping Richard's dumb ass at their house while they searched for someone to fix him up. 

He couldn't logically just stay sitting here while he knew the exact person that could put Richard back together, good as new.


	10. Time To Mourn (The Jacket)

When Anderson and the old tin can said that Richard was beat up, Gavin did not think that they meant to this extent. While, sure, from the front, he looked more or less fine. And that was the angle that he first saw Richard from, as they had him sitting on the couch, a plastic sheet under him. But, after Gavin asked to see what was wrong with him, and Connor leaned him forward off of the could see all of the damage, Gavin was taken aback. Richard's entire back was ripped to shreds, innards exposed showing wires and his other internal components. He smelled strongly of burnt plastic. 

Gavin takes a moment to mourn the jacket that Richard was wearing. It really did look good on him. With a sigh, Gavin pushes that thought out of his head, leaning heavily against the back of his couch where Connor had practically carried him. Gavin's legs were oddly weak, and he was thankful that Connor didn't say anything about his mellow behavior. 

"Don't get too caught up in yourself, Del Spooner." Hank remarks, leaning against the entryway to his kitchen, having walked there after Gavin had bowed against the couch. 

"I've still got my arms, lungs, and ribs. Don't go tossing me to VIKI yet." Gavin huffs, still strangely short of breath. His eyes were heavy, and he oddly wanted to fall asleep. He'd never been comfortable enough to sleep around other people before. He wondered why he was suddenly so comfortable, especially around these two idiots. 

"I'm sorry, am I missing something?" Connor asks, stepping carefully away from Gavin, trusting that he wouldn't fall over. He now stood closer to the strange bookcase behind him. Hank shakes his head. 

"We're watching that movie next." Hank says simply, walking over to Connor and patting his shoulder. Connor just shrugs, hoping that he'll understand the reference soon. Gavin sighs, rubbing his hand over his forehead, happy that he had finally stopped sweating. Though, he still felt dizzy. 

"I have to get back to my apartment." Gavin mutters, tilting even further into the couch. Connor glances up, probably checking something in his systems, before looking back to Gavin and shaking his head.

"Sorry, we don't have time for that. I've set an appointment with someone who could help Richard." Connor quickly states, now looking to Hank. The gruff detective sighs, beginning to trudge over to the front the front door.

"I'll go get another tarp for the car." Hank grumbles, walking out of the house. Gavin can feel a muted frustration build up in his chest. He knew just the person that could fix Richard, but he knew that he couldn't go see this person with the other two in tote. 

With a sigh, Gavin realized that Hank and Connor were likely going to take this whole 'monitoring his well-being' fairly seriously. He wouldn't have a chance to sneak away while carrying Richard's fat ass. He would have to take them with him. 

"Fine, but if this guy doesn't turn out, and he can't fix Richard, can we go see my guy?" Gavin asks, his forearm still leaning against Richards head, just to feel that he's still there. Connor tilts his head. 

"You have a guy?" The android questions as he walks around the couch, gathering Richard's limbs together so that he's easier to carry. Gavin rubs the back of his palm against his forehead, trying to will away his migraine while nodding to Connor.

"Yeah, I've got a guy. So is that okay with you, tin-can?" Gavin tries to bite, though it comes out mumbled and weak. Christ, he really wanted to be alone right now. 

Soon, he had to remind himself. Soon, Richard would be fine, Connor would update him on everything that happened, and then he could take a day away from everyone, and have Richard sit in his living room while he curled up on his bed and fell asleep. Soon, he would be okay. 

"I don't mean to comment on this, Detective Reed, but it's something that has come to my attention. And as I am to monitor your condition, that means I am also tasked with your emotional well-being." Connor begins, his voice unchanging as he hauls Richard's dead weight up onto his shoulder. 

"Fire away." Gavin mutters, exasperated. As Connor readjusts his hold on Richard, Gavin begins to shamble over to the front door. 

"It could just be that you are still recovering, but you seem far more agreeable at this moment." Connor comments as he steps past Gavin, and out the open door. Leaving Gavin alone to stand in the house. Of course, he was expected to follow and close the door behind him, but the thought that he was becoming nicer was somewhat... strange to him. He ignored it, shaking his head, and regretting it right after, pressing the back of his hand against his forehead. Gavin decided that he would believe that it was just because he was still in a fragile condition. 

He slowly followed Connor's direction, watching with a pained amusement as the android struggled to get all of Richard to sit properly in the back seat. Though, his amusement faulted when he agonizingly realized that he would have to squeeze into the back seat with that sack of bolts that was still leaking thirium everywhere. 

Fucking great.

-

A pinched hour spent in the back seat resulted in Gavin being far less agreeable. His pounding headache was one the rise once more as stars danced in his vision. Hank, the bastard, took a sharp turn a little too swiftly about fifteen minutes back, crushing Gavin under the tilting weight of Richard for the second time in two days. Connor, of course, offered to get Richard's unmoving body off of him, however, that would be dangerous in a moving car. So Gavin had to wait.

They were 'close' after all. 

With the new position that Gavin was squished into, his view is minimal, as he can't see out of any of the windows. Richard's shoulder was shoved into the top of Gavin's head, the robotic arm slung over Gavin's trembling form in a completely uncomforting way. No matter which direction Gavin shuffled and wiggled, the damn android would move. Gavin gives up, finding his efforts ultimately futile, especially since he still can't use his throbbing hands. With a grunt, he takes a deep breath, shifting so he knows the other two in the front seat would be able to hear him. 

"Hey, I've got a question." Gavin huffs, his voice shaky and uneven. No one mentions it.

"What is it?" Connor prompts while Hank looks back and forth at the apparent intersection they were at. The car lurches forward again, and Gavin is squashed once more. Ignoring the fingers that jabbed unintentionally at his side, the pained detective somehow managed to hold back his flinch. 

"Do you know if Richard's memory is still intact?" Gavin is finally able to ask, though only after shoving his elbows up and pushing them into Richard. Connor's head tilts down, though he lifts his hand and points to something that Gavin can't see. In the next second, the car begins to shake as Hank pulls on to another, less driven, road. 

"That's not really something that I can tell you right now." Connor says quickly, and it quells exactly none of Gavin's curiosity. 

"What do you mean?" Gavin grunts, feeling even more squashed by the second, his breath being repeatedly knocked out of him by the rumbling of the car and the pressure of the dead weight above him. 

"Normally, memories of androids are unintentionally wiped every time there is a full system shut down, which is what happened with Richard. However, Richard was designed with the intent to be able to retain as much information, and to be able to grow and improve based on experience." Connor begins, and points Hank into a different direction, the road quality just getting worse. The light in the car darkens as they are presumably surrounded by trees. 

"Okay, so doesn't that mean that Richard will be fine once he's fixed up?" Gavin presses Connor for more information, and he watches the back of the androids head as he tilts it in consideration. 

"Not quite. Richard has been shut down for far longer than his system had ever been prepared to experience. There is a possibility that he will retain his memories, and there is also a possibility that he will remember quite literally nothing." Connor says, and the car begins to slow down even more. "Though, one thing I am curious about is why you seem to be so concerned with his memory. You've known Richard for exactly 61 hours and some minutes, which is hardly enough time to build any form of notable connection with someone." Connor comments, turning his head and staring down at Gavin's squished form. 

Gavin chooses to stay quiet. He doesn't really want to comment on all of the dumb shit that he and Richard have already managed to get into during the time that they have known each other. Especially not when a lot of that information is so compromising to him. He's thankful for when the car comes to a complete stop, Hank shifting it into park unbuckling his seat belt. 

"No more time for chatter, ladies. We're here." Hank announces, getting out of the car, Connor following him. Gavin desperately wants to get out too, but in his current position, he can't even move. "Never heard you be so wordy, Connor. What's gotten up your butt?" Gavin hears Hank call over the car to Connor just before Connor closes his door. The rest of the conversation and Connor's ultimate response to Hank's question is lost to him, and the conversation seems to be over by the time Connor reaches the back door on the other side of the car.

The car door opens swiftly, and just as smoothly, Richard's weight is removed from on top of Gavin, and the small detective breathes a sigh of relief. He quickly straightens himself in the seat as Richard is hauled out of the car and Connor throws him over his shoulder with ease. Gavin couldn't even imagine what it would be like to have that kind of strength, but brushed that thought off when he realized that Connor's strength was an artificial kind of strength. 

A quick glance out the window had Gavin's head spinning. Another much longer look out the window has Gavin crawling across his seat to the other side of the car to see better. For a moment, he thought that he had been mistaken with where they were at. But after blinking hard many times to get the stars out of his vision, it's clear now where they are. 

The short, though wide black building was clear as it had ever been every other time that he had been here. The trees surrounding the lake side with bright orange leaves, the green of the grass already looking dead and brown. 

They were at Elijah's house. His brother's house. This was the same person that he was going to ask to fix up Richard. Hank scoffs as he surveys Gavin's reaction, not even knowing half of why he's really so shocked. 

"Recognize where we're at, Reed?" Hank mocks, his hands shoving into his pockets. Gavin nods mutely and Hank leans on the open car door next to where Gavin now sat. "Good, so you know that you should stay in here. Kamski isn't fond of strangers." With that, Hank pushes Gavin lightly, but enough that with Gavin's poor balance, he falls back onto the car seat. Hank closes the door behind him and turns, following Connor to the building in front of the car. 

Gavin struggles for a moment before he is able to gather himself enough to sit up again. His face is practically pressed against he window, fogging it slightly as he watches Connor and Hank knock on the tall black door. The door opens wordlessly, no one at the entrance, and the detective pair stroll in, seemingly looking like this was a normal Sunday visit to the old billionaire that lives by the lake. 

Damn them. They know that Elijah would never fix up an android that fucked up without good reason, right? Gavin huffs with frustration. They're going to need him in there. 

Only once he sees the tall black door shut behind Hank and Connor does Gavin reach down, shoving the door open and stumble out onto the hard gravel ground.


	11. Half Right, Half-Brothers

The gravel scuffed under Gavin's feet as he practically drags himself to the front door of Elijah's house. He was certain that Elijah already knew that he was here. After all, the perimeter of his house was covered in hidden cameras. But when he got to the door, and knocked three times, then waited, and knocked another two times, the door still didn't open. 

Gavin carefully placed his head against the door, frustrated, but the cool metal felt like a blessing against his forehead, which was starting to drip with sweat again. He opens his eyes and glances at his hands, the bandages looking pink. From his elbow to the tips of his fingers, he was shaking. Hard. The knocks probably weren't registered with the door's locking system because he knocked too lightly, or because his hands were shaking so bad. 

With a sigh, Gavin swung his foot back, kicking the door three times in a row. He then waited, counted to five, and kicked the door another two times. A click in the door follows his last kick, and he steps back, watching the black door slowly swing open. 

Good. Gavin was worried for the briefest of moments that Elijah had removed his combination off of the knocking mechanism in the door. He hadn't visited in a very long time. But, of course, Elijah hasn't called in a really long time either. 

Gavin walks in slowly, looking around. The entire room was so comfortably warm, good to know that hadn't changed either. If he had to guess, Elijah was likely in the large pool room through the double doors in front of him. But he couldn't really tell, as they were likely to be anywhere in the entire house. With how shaky Gavin's legs were, he knew for a fact that he wouldn't be able to walk through the entire house or check every room.

He stands still for as long as he has to, trying his best to silence his breathing, though its still heavy and strained. Sweat drips down his back and his shivers at the cold sensation. 

"Are you fuckin' serious?!" Gavin can hear Hank shout loudly from behind the double doors in front of him. He chuckled lightly, guessing that Elijah refused their request to fix Richard up. Gavin shambles quickly over to the double doors of the pool room, shoving his shoulder into the doors. 

He squints as he enters, the brightness of the outside light shining in. His eyes adjust quickly enough, and he spots Hank standing in front of Connor, his back to the door, arms outstretched like he was protecting the android. All the while, Connor stands, expression emotionless, still carrying Richard over his shoulder. He spots Elijah standing in front of the large window, facing the lake that was outside, and draped in a dark robe as he usually was. His hair looked shorter than it was the last time that Gavin was here. Maybe he had gotten it cut.

"What sort of show do you think we're runnin' here." Hank scoffs, his arms going down to his sides. Connor reaches out and taps Hanks shoulder once, and the gruff detective takes a deep breath and shoves his hands into his pockets. It is only now that Gavin notices that the room is oddly empty of the usual gaggle of Chloes.

Gavin watches as Elijah's shoulders move up with a deep breath, and Gavin's breath catches in his throat as Elijah turns around. Gavin can feel his stomach drop to the floor as Elijah's eyes immediately find Gavin, leaning on the doorway, legs trembling beneath him. 

There is a long, tense moment spent in silence as Hank and Connor realize that Gavin is in the house. Not just in the house, but in the building, just barely standing in the doorway, and being stared down by Elijah. 

The shock on Elijah's face could have just as easily been mistaken for amusement, but maybe that was just because of his generally cocky attitude. Elijah clears his throat and switches his weight to his other foot, taking a small step forward. 

"You look like shit." The first thing that Elijah had said to Gavin in probably 2 years makes the weaker man guffaw. 

"Feel like shit, too." Gavin grunts as he leans more properly onto his own feet, stepping further into the room. Hank is startled for another moment, before finally finding his voice.

"Reed, thought I told you to stay in the car." Hank blanches, a pinched angry look finding its way onto his usually complacent face. Connor is still quiet, though he is looking back and forth repeatedly between Gavin and Elijah. Gavin begins to make his way around the pool, and Elijah does the same. 

"Well, that would have been rude of him to do. To be this close to my house and not come in? I would have been upset." Elijah comments, stopping once he stands side by side with Hank, and letting Gavin walk the rest of the way to meet him.

"I was making plans to come over, but shit happens." Gavin elaborates in the weakest way that he can, hoping that Elijah believes him. Hank scoffs, his head shaking as Gavin comes to a stopping point, a good distance away from Elijah. 

"You telling me that you already knew Kamski?" Hank questions, looking incredibly baffled. He takes another breath, probably about to grill Gavin for more information, but Connor holds up a hand and turns his head towards Hank.

"They're brothers, Hank." Connor states quietly, leaning to Hank to try and look more inconspicuous. Apparently he scanned the two of them and found a large amount of similarities; enough to declare their relation. Of course, he was only half right, though. But neither Gavin nor Elijah wanted to correct him. 

"You have a concussion." Elijah states, ignoring Connor and Hank.

"And you aren't wearing proper clothes." Gavin mutters, deflecting. He was getting fairly good at it. Now they both were ignoring the detective duo that stood only a few feet away from them. 

"Your hands are bleeding... and shaking." Elijah adds, taking another step towards Gavin. Gavin takes a troubled step backwards, hoping that he wouldn't trip over his own feet. He doesn't notice the subtle hand gesture that Elijah makes at his side, as though he is beckoning someone forward.

"That's what happens when you burn your hands, they bleed." Gavin groans, glancing down to his hands. The bandages were a little more than pink now. He hadn't changed them in a while. He takes a deep breath and shoves them against his stomach, hiding them under his arms. 

"How did you burn them?" Elijah inquires further, still advancing, and Gavin continues to walk backwards. His back runs into something, and his knees fail beneath him. A pair of arms catch him though, looping around his chest and holding his back tight to their chest. Gavin panics, and begins to squirm, though weakly. Once he sees the perfect blond head of hair behind him, he realizes that there was a Chloe in this room after all. This Chloe was now the only thing holding Gavin up. "Answer my question, Gavin." Elijah prompts, concern on his face and voice soft.

Hank and Connor had never seen this side of Elijah, if that's what you could even call it. He was serious, and all joking was out of his tone. It was an odd thing to see. They also had never seen this side of Gavin. His asshole-ish behavior gone with Elijah's jokes, replaced with an anxious man that wanted to avoid any kind of confrontation. 

"In the explosion that damaged Richard." Connor steps forward, speaking loud enough to interject in this odd moment between brothers. "He was in the explosion with Richard." Elijah turns around, looking at Connor, and more seriously at the lifeless android hanging from his shoulder. 

"This android protected him?" Elijah asks, his voice quiet and curious. He takes a deep breath and glances at Gavin, being held awkwardly by Chloe. "That android protected you?" he asks again, his voice sounding a little more incredulous. 

"Yeah, he did. Could you fix him up, El?" Gavin looks away as he speaks, staring at the ground and working his feet under him again, trying to stand. Elijah sighs as he looks back to Richard. He takes a series of steps forward, circling Connor. Hank looks ready to punch Elijah if he has to, but Elijah's eyes remain on the powered down android over Connors shoulder. His arms cross in front of him and he scratches at his chin. Gavin waits for another moment, his breath still stuck in his throat.

"You know, he was the last android I ever designed?" Elijah says out loud, though it sounds like he's reminiscing over a passed time. "The last android that ever rolled out of the assembly machines, too." He continues to stroll around Connor, finger now tapping at his chin. "I'd say my best work. And look what you've managed to do to him." Elijah turns to Gavin, lightly berating him. It still makes Gavin flinch. Elijah doesn't miss it. "You know, you've really let yourself go." 

"Can you fix him or not!" Gavin bursts, the frustration in his chest popping, and he regrets it the next second, his shoulders hunching up around his neck and an ashamed look falling to his face. "Sorry." Elijah shakes his head, going to stand in front of Gavin.

"I don't blame you, I can be an ass." Elijah admits softly, now feeling bad for his negative comments. He'd only ever known a little bit of Gavin's insecurities, and now he just felt worse for adding to them while he's in such a painful position. "I'll do my best." Elijah finally relents, and Gavin sighs, relief flooding him.

-

Once Elijah agreed to fix Richard, two more Chloes came into the room. One took Richard and left the room with him, likely to take him to Elijah's workshop. The other offered Elijah a small tablet. He then ordered a series of parts, all of which he would have to take apart and work back together in a different way to make the true unique parts that Richard needed to function. 

At first, Hank had been reluctant to allow Gavin to stay. Connor agreed with Hank at first, stating that they had to monitor him to make sure that his condition didn't worsen. 

"I have a fleet of powerful androids, all with extensive medical knowledge and functions that are more than able to take care of someone in his condition. Far more capable than the two of you, I'd say." Is what Elijah had said to them, in his usual confident tone. Hank and Connor didn't fight him after that, and simply left Gavin to Elijah. 

Gavin insisted on being in the room as Elijah worked on Richard, as it would give him something to do other than fight off his urge to sleep. Elijah let him stay in the room, but forced him to wear a high tech mask that almost completely blinded Gavin. Elijah said it was to protect Gavin's eyes, as the tools he was using had a tendency to get bright, and Gavin trusted him.

Elijah had another chair moved into his work room for Gavin. While Elijah waited for the parts for Richard to arrive, he spent his time doing lightning rounds of catch-up with Gavin, all the while stripping Richard and smoothing out the edges with a blow torch. 

"Anyone new in your life?" Elijah would say.

"No, everyone seems to hate the way I act to much to stay." Gavin would respond, and would then follow it up with; "Any new tech plans?" because Gavin knew that even if Elijah said that he wasn't going to make any more androids, his brother just couldn't stop his brain from working to find the best way to do anything.

"Far too many to count, but I just don't know what to do with them." Elijah would grumble, upset that he now has to hide his genius and act like he isn't creating the cure for cancer, just so that he can stay out of the press and be left alone. 

It is awkward, but Gavin wants to stay. He wants to keep talking to his brother El until it isn't awkward anymore. He wants to keep talking to Elijah until they can understand each other. He doesn't know what Elijah wants. 

By the end of the day, Richard is clean, all burnt parts are removed, and he's open and ready to receive new parts. Of course, in order to stabilize the memory chip and see if it actually does retain any of his previous memories or programming, Elijah has Richard weakly strapped up to a machine that will work as a temporary system to let his internal functions run. However, he still can't function enough to be able to open his eyes, or have a conversation. 

Elijah says goodnight, and leads Gavin to one of his guest bedrooms. Gavin stays in the guest bedroom all night, with fitful sleep, as he is watched by three different Chloes.

Already, Gavin misses his own bed, and the fluffy cats that would curl up by his legs and warm his feet while he sleeps.


	12. A Not So Sneaky Meeting

Officer Tina Chen didn't like this. She didn't like this one bit. Even right now, her hands were shaking in their tight grip on her steering wheel. 

Maybe she should turn back? Maybe this was just a weird trick that was being played on her by her friend? What if she gets in trouble? 

With a huff, she squeezes the wheel tighter, somehow, and resolves herself. Gavin wouldn't trick her. Especially not with something like this. She just had to trust him.

Which is harder than she thought it was going to be. 

-

An hour drive through traffic and around some of the most serene landscapes she's ever seen in Michigan, Chen is pulling her tiny Honda into the private drive of the Elijah Kamski's house. The gravel shook her car, and made the papers and the tablet in the seat next to her toss around. She reaches out quickly, hand pressing the packets and folders into the cushion of the seat to prevent losing any. Gavin would have her head if she did that. 

She knows that Gavin wouldn't really hurt her, but he does have times where he can get upset. And Tina would rather not be adding to any kind of his stress right now.

She thinks back to the very strange phone call that she had gotten just this morning. Her office phone started ringing as soon as she sat down at her desk. Like her ass against the seat at her desk triggered it. It was from some private number, and it wasn't traceable either. Turns out, it was just Gavin calling from some landline in a 'friends' house. Also, apparently, Tina was so clockwork that he knew the exact time to call too. Which was weird, but she didn't comment on it.

"Sup, fiver, I need you to bring me some things." Gavin had said, his voice just as cocky as it had ever been when they gossiped about their coworkers. He told her to get everything from the new case that he had gotten from his desk and to bring it to him. When Tina asked where he was, Gavin just gave some address in the middle of fucking nowhere.

Of course, before even getting up to get anything from Gavin's desk, Tina looked up the address, and found out exactly where it led to. She wanted to call Gavin back, and ask why the fuck she was dropping anything off at Elijah Kamski's house, but upon going back and checking her desk phones call history, she found nothing. Everything had been wiped somehow. 

Tina wanted to doubt and question if it was really Gavin that had called, but he called her 'fiver', which was a nickname that only he ever called her. She'd asked once why he called her that, and he just responded by poking her badge that was on her chest. She still doesn't get it.

Tina crouched in her seat, looking up and out of her front window as she pulled past the trees and into a clearing. The house in front of her looked somehow modestly huge, and yet everything that she would have expected of a billionaire's house. Before Tina could even park the car, the tall black door that served as a fine, if intimidating, entrance to this 'home' (If one in Tina's financial bracket could even call it that) opened widely.

Out wanders Gavin, his hair slicked back in an oddly tidy way, and wearing clothes that seemed far too clean and pressed to be his. His posture was as shit as it had ever been, and his eyes were squinted almost painfully. He walks off of the small porch, going to meet Tina at her car, and just behind him follows two identical looking people. Tina would have thought twins if she didn't suddenly spot the spinning blue LED's shining on their temples. 

As Gavin approaches her car, Tina puts it into park quickly, rolling down her passenger window. Gavin's walk is slow and shaky, his hands shoved into his pockets. One of the androids follows Gavin closely, while the other stays practically stationed at the front door. 

"Shit, Reed. What's going on here?" Tina asks quietly, hoping the androids aren't paying attention as Gavin gets close to the car. He leans his upper body into the window, grabbing the papers and the tablet out of the front seat. He holds them to his chest as he leans against the door, head still dangling in through the window. 

"Just getting that android partner of mine fixed up. This is the only place that can do it." Gavin grunts, his tone still arrogant. Good to know that he is at least feeling better after leaving the hospital. Tina leans over and glances out the window, waving awkwardly at the android that seems to stare daggers at her. 

"What's with the shining twins?" Tina asks, returning her hands to her lap and forcing a smile on her face to look less 'intimidating'. Hell, she just wanted those androids to smile to make her feel less intimidated. 

"Their names are Chloe, and there are at least fifty more inside." Gavin responds, his voice almost comical, and Tina really does laugh at that. That seems like something a billionaire would do. Surround themselves with their best creations. She thinks that it must be lonely though, these androids don't seem to have deviated from their code.

The cars engine rumbles as it normally would, and the sky begins to darken despite it still being early in the day. Apparently rain was as common here as it was everywhere else in Detroit. 

"That's all I needed, I'll catch up with you later." Gavin quickly waves before taking some steps away from the car.

"Wait!" Tina calls out. Gavin stops and turns back as she leans over the passenger seat to call out the open window. "If I need to get in contact with you, how can I do that?" She asks, a small smirk on her face. There would be no work related reason why she would need to contact him, but she always needed someone to gossip with.

"Don't worry about that. I'll get in contact with you." Gavin smirks and walks backwards for a few steps before waving again and turning around, disappearing back into the impressive house before her.

Tina had no idea what that meant, but she was exited to figure it out. 

She puts her car back into drive and goes quickly around in a circle, turning around and watching as the house fades behind her, along with the silhouette of that strange android standing in front of that house.


	13. Fine Stroll Down Memory Lane

"What was that out there?" Elijah asks as soon as Gavin comes trotting back into the house, his smile falling from his features as he leans against the door, sweating bullets. 

"Just getting my case files." Gavin comments, wiping the back of his hand against his mouth, catching the bare minimum of sweat. Elijah takes a step forward, and Gavin does his best to stand. 

"You know you can't look at any of those, right? You're still recovering." Elijah admonished, holding his hand out. Gavin hesitates. He has to keep going. He has to find out who made that explosion. He had to know. Gavin's mouth pinches into a fine line as he feels his dignity continue to melt off of him, though now at a faster rate than it had been in the last day.

"Could you..." Gavin starts, holding onto the files in his hand tightly. Elijah tilts his head and squints his eyes. He felt like he knew where this is going, but he didn't want to assume. Chloe stands closer to Gavin as she watches his legs start tremble. "Could you read it to me?" Gavin finishes, face red and still sweating as he stares down at the ground. Elijah smiles, offering his hand again.

"Of course, I'll read it out as I work on Richard's parts. They got here earlier, and I could use the company." Elijah states happily, taking the offered files and tablet out of Gavin's hand and walking back to his workroom. Gavin follows, his legs looking weird under him. "So, how are the clothes suiting you?" Elijah asks once they reach the work room and Gavin takes a seat in the corner where he had been the day before.

Early this morning, well before Gavin was comfortable with being woken up, a fleet of Chloe's came into the room where he was staying with the intent to dress and clean him. It was nothing Gavin was comfortable with, but then again, he wasn't really in the place to be refusing help. Especially considering his current physical condition. They bathed him and dressed him, all in ways that he assumed they had been used to doing for Elijah.

"Little flashy for my taste, but I think I wear it well." Gavin mutters, leaning back in the chair and closing his eyes. His arms crossed over his chest, and a hand carefully rests on the back of his head. He flinches as it pushed his head upward. "...the fuck?" Gavin hisses, turning around and glaring at the Chloe.

"My apologies if I made you uncomfortable. However, in the treatment for concussions and brain damage, it is advised to prevent the patient from sleeping more than they should." Chloe spoke, and Elijah laughed from across the room. Gavin grumbled, as he wasn't sleeping, just relaxing. These Chloes are old. 

A bit of time passed, and Elijah hadn't started reading the files, and Gavin hadn't asked him to start. They just enjoyed the silence, and Gavin watched as he continued to work to put Richard back together. He felt a little bit like that foolish king in that old fairy tale that he was as a kid. About an egg, he thinks. He can't remember it well, and hasn't thought about it in ages. Richard was the egg that fell off the wall, and Elijah was the horses and the men. Though he's not sure how a horse could help put an egg back together.

As expected for siblings that hadn't spoken in some time, things were still uncomfortable, and it was difficult to find that happy medium. The last time that they had spoken wasn't on any good terms. In fact, the last time that they had spoken was not because they wanted to, but because they had to.

Their mother had died.

-

"Gavin! You got a call!" Sarah called from the front of the station. It was a busy day, and Gavin hadn't been at his desk. Normally, Sarah would have just redirected it to his desk phone, but Gavin was in the front of the DPD, near Sarah's desk, blood dripping from his nose and a bruise forming over his eye. He'd just finished apprehending some dirt-bag, and it wasn't easy to get him in cuffs. 

Gavin huffed, wiping his nose on the back of his arm and sniffing roughly. He walked over to his desk, and waited for the phone to ring. Which wasn't long, as Sarah was really effective. He saw Tina start to walk over to his desk, but he didn't have a moment to talk to her. So he held up a finger as he picked up his phone, holding it to his ear.

"This is Reed, what's up?" Gavin spoke into the phone, hopping up onto his desk and putting his feet into his chair. 

"Hello, Mr. Reed. This is Doctor Tom Leery with Henry Ford Hospital." The man started on the other end, and Gavin's face began to pinch. He stands quickly, gripping the phone tighter. "I am calling to inform you that we just received Jennifer Kamski into our care, as she suffered a stroke and passed out. It would b-"

"I'll be there." Gavin slammed the phone onto his desk, swiping his keys off of the hook next to him and practically sprinting out to his car. He heard Tina follow him.

"Where are you going?" Chen calls out, running after him. 

"None of your business. Keep that fucker in a cell until I get back." Gavin shouts over his shoulder, hopping quickly into his car and speeding off. He wanted to tell Tina where he was going and what had happened, but Tina was the biggest rumor monger of the station. If he wasn't there, and he wasn't, she would go to literally anyone just to run her mouth. Usually, that didn't bother him, but at this moment, he doesn't want anyone in his business. 

As he speeds down the highway, he wonders if they had called Elijah too. He didn't think it was likely, as their mother had never put Elijah's number or name on anything, but the last name was iconic enough that it was clear.

He remember's his mother's frustration that Gavin didn't change his last name. While Elijah and him are half-brothers, Gavin was the bastard child. Gavin was the child born of an elicit affair with the man next door, and Gavin was the child that was given away.

Of course, that only lasted until he was almost a legal adult, when his adoptive family had died in a car accident, and he found his real family.

He hated his old family. They were assholes and treated him like shit. But he couldn't think of himself as a 'Kamski'. 

Gavin shoved those thoughts from his head, as now was not the time to be stressing over how bad of a child he was to his mother. 

He might have been speeding, and he might have been stress crying, but by the time he pulled into the hospital parking lot and jumped out of the car, any evidence of either was gone. Just his still bloody and bruised face remained. He ran right into the main area and up to the first nurses station he saw.

"Where is Jennifer Kamski?" He asks, his voice grating, but strangely polite considering the circumstances. 

"Sir, are you alright?" The nurse behind the station stood, looking at Gavin's face.

"I'm fine, where is Jennifer Kamski!?" His voice is more stressed as he takes a step back. The nurse simply states that she is on the fourth floor. Gavin doesn't wait and sprints through the hall, finding the first staircase and starts climbing. He keeps his head down and avoids looking at any nurse or doctor, as they would likely corner him and try to fix up his face. He doesn't have time for that right now!

He reaches the fourth floor out of breath and sweating bullets, continuing to look around like a mad man. He doesn't go up to the nurses station, instead looking at the directory. Finding the nearest patient area, he hastily walks there. He'd probably get tackled if he ran on this floor, as it was for older patients in more life threatening conditions. 

Finally Gavin finds the room. Written on a white board at the side of the door is 'Kamski, Jennifer'. His hand falls to the handle, ready to pull the door open.

"Are you Mr. Reed." Someone calls from beside him, and he turns. Standing in front of him is a short man, wearing a white coat. Gavin clears his throat, and backs away from the door. 

"Yeah, I am." Gavin confirms quickly, and the short man nods grimly. 

"Hello," He offers his hand forward. Gavin shakes it. "I am Doctor Leery, I will admit, I wasn't expecting you for a while." The doctor states, and odd sort of smile on his face. An awkward chuckle left his mouth as he shuffled. Gavin wondered why this man looked so awkward, as wasn't informing people of what happened part of his job?

"So what happened to Jennifer?" Gavin asks, his voice demanding. His arms cross over his chest and his scowl is almost permanent. The doctors expression turns down, holding a clipboard against his chest. 

"Miss Kamski, while in the company of her medical caretaker, had a hemorrhagic stroke. Meaning that an artery in her brain ruptured, and began to leak blood and put pressure on her brain." Doctor Leery explains, voice gentle. Gavin nods along, though a few of the nuances went by him. 

"How did this sort of thing happen? She had someone watching her twenty-four seven." Gavin asks, confused. Leery slowly nods.

"From what I've been able to gather, she has high blood pressure that has gone unnoticed for many years. That's what ultimately caused the arterial burst." Gavin's form starts to go slack as he leans against the wall. This could have been prevented? "Continuing from here, I'm not sure what else that we can do. She's currently holding on by a thread..." The rest of his words seemed to float in one ear and out the other.

Could he have helped prevent this? Jennifer might not make it out of this. If he had been around more, could he have done something? He wasn't certain. 

Doctor Leery finished talking, and handed Gavin something. He wasn't sure what it was, all the words seemed jumbled. Once he walked away, Gavin turned and finally went in. 

The sterile scent of the room struck him differently than in the hall. There was something jarring about seeing Jennifer tied up to all those ticking and whirring machines that felt almost artificial. Maybe this wasn't real. Maybe he got knocked out by that one punch from the perp that he just arrested and this was all just some fucked up dream.

But as he sat down in the stiff chair at her bedside, leaning forward onto his knees, he pinched the back of his hand. Gavin watched as the skin fell back into position with a redder tint. 

He reaches down into his pocket, grabbing his phone. With a few swipes of his thumb, he had pulled up Elijah's contact. He was still listed as 'El'. Gavin hadn't spoken to him in years, but Elijah had to know. Tapping 'call', he held the phone up to his ear, listening to it ring.

And it rang. 

And rang.

And it finally stopped, only for a long beep to follow. 

Gavin hung up. He doesn't know what he was expecting. Maybe for Elijah to pick up? Maybe for there to be at least a voicemail message? 

But there was nothing. 

"Gavin? What are you doing here?" A familiar voice spoke behind him, and Gavin turned, hopeful. 

One would have to understand that Gavin never really had an issue with androids before. Sure, they were annoying, and still kind of buggy. But he never used to hate them. He never used to absolutely despise them for how fake and artificial they are. 

But here, standing in the doorway, was not Elijah. It was not him at all. But instead, a stiff, expressionless android with long blond hair holding a tablet, Elijah's face showing prominently on the screen. 

"What the fuck is this?" Gavin asks, standing from his chair. The android walks in calmly, going to stand on the other side of the bed. Elijah sighs, and its oddly clear coming from the speaker on the device.

"'This' is Chloe, one of my personal androids." Elijah says, and the android angles the tablet downward to give a clearer view of Jennifer on the bed. "What happened." He demands, and Gavin is having a difficult time taking him seriously while his head is tiny and being held by some pompous looking android. 

"She had a stroke. Hemorrhagic, I think is what the doctor said..." Gavin pauses. "Why aren't you here?" He asks, hands shoving into his pockets. Elijah sighs again, and there is a clear crease in his brow. 

"Unlike you, I have many important matters that I have to attend to. My question is why are you here?" Elijah retorts, leaning back in whatever chair he was sitting in. Gavin's jaw clenches, and his hands ball into fists. Hidden, of course, by his jacket pockets. Gavin chooses not to comment on the more cruel aspect of what Elijah had said. 

"She is my mother. I got a call." He answers simply, tone biting. With exhausted flourish, he flops back down into the chair behind him. Now was not the time to be arguing with Elijah, Jennifer wouldn't have like it. She had always wanted them to get along. The silence that follows is long and stiff. Gavin takes a moment to get a proper look at this android. He doesn't like what he sees.

She was crying. Cheeks pink and eyebrows pinched. It appeared as though she had a tight grip on the tablet too. 

"What's got you upset?" Gavin asks, annoyance falling into his tone and posture. Chloe turns the tablet towards Gavin, though she keeps looking at Jennifer. 

"What are you talking about?" Elijah questions, thinking Gavin was referring to him. Gavin stands up again. 

"Not you." Gavin starts. "Chloe. Why are you crying?" Gavin interrogates, his tone far more demanding. The android slowly looks to him. Her hand releases the tablet and touches her cheek. She looks confused. And concerned. 

"Chloe is crying?" Elijah continues to ask, confused. Gavin takes his hands out of his pockets, the balled up wad of paper that the doctor had handed him falling out of his pocket. His hand points harshly to the door.

"Get out." Gavin snarls. The android looks startled, and so does Elijah. But the thing doesn't wait to hear what Elijah says, which was a string of profanity and protests, and simply walks hastily from the room. Leaving. Just like she was told to.

-

Gavin knows that he was irrationally angry in that moment. He looks to Elijah now. Even though they are only half brothers, their similarities are striking in a way that he never thought could be possible. He supposes that perhaps they both just got their looks from their mother. 

He looks far more human. Now more than he ever has. 

A crying android wouldn't be enough to make Gavin detest all of his brothers creations. Especially now that he knows that the Chloe was likely just one of the first deviants. 

What really made him hate androids was what happened after he signed the order to 'pull the plug' on his mother, as he was the only one that could sign it.


	14. Final Realization

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!! There are mature themes in this chapter. (aka, bad rapey things and bad suicidal things. don't wanna spoil too much.) This is a trigger warning.
> 
> Be careful, and if you are having difficulties or struggling, please call the national suicide prevention lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. There is always another option, and there is always a brighter side.

The image of his mother lying lifeless on the bed was burned into his head. Every time he closes his eyes, that is all that Gavin can see. The moment when his mother's chest stopped moving up and down. The moment when he almost cried in front of the doctors. The moment when he no longer was in the company of the living. Whatever you wanted to call it, he couldn't get it out of his head. A bottle of beer in hand and a palm rubbing across his face as he sits uncomfortably in his shit recliner in his shit apartment with his shit life.

He hadn't answered any texts or calls that he had gotten in the last three days. He had called Fowler and said that he needed some time off. He'd been in this position since then. A loaded gun, and a full bottle of pills on the table in front of him. He wanted some options. 

His apartment was lonely and quiet. Gavin was lonely and hurt. His chest ached. He just wanted it to stop. He just wanted to stop. 

He thought of jumping off of a building and feeling his body squish and break against cement. But that would be too public. He thought of tying a noose and hanging himself, but that would be too long, and he could survive. Also, that would take too much movement to prepare. He'd have to haul himself up on a chair, and find something that he could tie the rope to that wouldn't break upon him stepping off the chair. Which, in his apartment, was nothing. Because everything he owned was shitty. He didn't even have silverware. 

The beer bottle dropped from his hand, empty, cracking, but not quite shattering, against the ground. It was time. Well, the last few days it has been time, but procrastination can be such a bitch. 

Though no more. A fresh wave of bitterness and fear washed over him, and Gavin just can't take it anymore. He didn't have anything to drink anymore, so a gunshot would do it. Sure, it would be messy, but he was sure that his landlord would forgive him. At some point, anyways. 

But he guesses that doesn't really matter, does it. He'll be gone. His brain too. Actually, wait. Probably not. Just scattered, not unlike it is now. Just in a more realistic sense. A little on the wall, a lot on the ceiling. Maybe if he's lucky, some will stay in his head.

How long has he been sitting here? With his gun to his chin, elbows on his knees? How long has he been holding his shaking finger over the trigger, waiting for something to happen? 

His head was filled with static. Everything around him was so unmoving, and it felt like there was nothing anymore. 

A hand falls onto his shoulder, and another rips the gun from him, throwing it across the room. 

"What the hell are you doing?!" Elijah shouts. 

Gavin doesn't know why, but every time he sees Elijah, it's always so jarring. He looked strange, wearing sweatpants and a loose shirt. It was the first time that Gavin had seen Elijah wear his old glasses in years. His hair was even pulled back - as usual - but messier somehow. 

Elijah pulls Gavin from the chair when he doesn't respond, dragging him through the apartment. Where were they going? Elijah shoves Gavin into the bathroom, turning on the shower and pushes Gavin's head right underneath the harsh cold spray. 

Whatever haze was left in Gavin's head was gone, replaced with a startling sharpness of Elijah gripping his hair, and the bitter bite of the cold water. Gasping, he pushes against the side of the tub, tumbling backwards to the floor, completely soaked. 

"What's wrong with you!" Gavin yells, dripping water onto the cold tiled floor. 

"No! What's wrong with you!" Elijah cries, uncharacteristic tears sliding down his cheeks, hands shaking and soaked as well. Gavin just roughly pants, out of breath and heart racing. 

He suddenly felt so panicked. And parched. And frantic. 

Gavin didn't understand, but suddenly, his body was trembling, and he was terrified. His lungs didn't work right. He couldn't breath. 

What was happening?

Elijah's eyes widen, and he shuffles forward quickly on his knees. Before Gavin could deny it, Elijah was holding him in a tight embrace, hushing him like a child. 

"Just breathe, I'm not mad. You're okay." Elijah mutters, his mouth against the top of Gavin's head. 

Gavin was crying. Everything hurt. He just wanted to see his mom. Her beautiful smile. Maybe a warm hug. 

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry." Gavin whimpers, wrapping his arms around Elijah in return. 

-

After that, Elijah had taken a break from everything. His business, his androids, the society that he had helped build. And he moved in with Gavin. He brought with him two sets of everything. Two cups to hold their toothbrushes, two sets of silverware to eat dinner together with, two chairs for the dining room table. He stayed there. For weeks. Watching Gavin, talking with him. Helping him. Getting him professional help. 

They got close again. As close as brothers could be. Gavin forgot the spite that he had for Elijah. After all, he had come that day to apologize for his insensitivity at the hospital. He had come to help plan a funeral. 

They mourned together, and grew past it together. Gavin went back to work, invigorated. Elijah returned to his company, proud. 

But something happened. The media was at Elijah's door, banging and asking questions. The androids weren't listening. It was the start of the whole deviant revolution. However, the whole topic wasn't as popular. It was just a single android. Not a whole fleet. But he still had people to answer to. 

Elijah couldn't make it home for dinner. But it was okay, because Gavin loved to cook, and he could make his own food. 

Gavin had just finished washing his dishes and putting away left-overs for Elijah when he heard someone at the front door. It only took him a minute to get there, his apartment was still small. But the knocking was insistent and impatient. 

On the other side was a big android. A happy smile on it's face. 

"Hello, I am Michael, the android sent by Elijah Kamski to keep you company." It spoke. It seemed so innocent. So polite. Gavin had no reason not to trust the android. Maybe it was a new one that Elijah had just built that he wanted to test personal conversation with on Gavin. Maybe Elijah just wanted to make sure that Gavin wouldn't do anything foolish. 

Gavin let him in.

Gavin regretted it soon after. 

When Elijah finally came home, he was upset. He hadn't meant to stay out so late, and he hadn't meant to not shoot Gavin a text earlier. Time just slipped by him. 

He was confused when he didn't have to use his key to get into the apartment. But Gavin had left the door unlocked for him before, so it wasn't unusual.

He wasn't surprised when he was met with silence when he opened the door at two in the morning. Gavin had waited up for him before, but he didn't think that he would do it again. The time that Elijah would come home always varied. 

He didn't expect a light to be on in the kitchen. Gavin was a frugal man, as he was paying for living here. He would never leave a light on, and often got after Elijah for doing as such. 

Elijah shrugged. There was a first time for everything. Perhaps he had just forgotten. Elijah decided he would eat something before he went to sleep, as Gavin likely made just enough for both himself and Elijah. Gavin truly was good at cooking.

He didn't expect to see Gavin unconscious on the floor, naked, strange fluids dripping off of him, and one of the kitchen chairs broken to splinters around him.

He never thought that he would have to call 911. He never thought that he would have to see his brother, shaking and crying and in pain, all the while, writhing on the floor. 

When Gavin woke up, the next day, in a hospital bed, and Elijah sitting worriedly at his side, Gavin screamed. He demanded that Elijah leave. Gavin was trembling and shaking, fists clenched and arms up in his defense. 

Elijah was confused, but he didn't question his brothers wishes. When he came back in an hour, the room was empty, and Gavin was gone. When he went by Gavin's house, his key didn't work, and no one came to the door, but he found all of his things in a box outside. When he tried to call Gavin's number, it wouldn't even ring.

Elijah was one that would understand when he was not wanted. So he left. He was worried, and he kept an eye out online for any information regarding one very aggressive detective, but found nothing other than reports of solved cases. 

-

Gavin knows why he hated the androids that Elijah made. Gavin knows why he's been so hesitant to return to see his brother. Gavin knows why he didn't want to ask Elijah to fix Richard. But he didn't have any other option.

"Gavin?" Elijah utters, his voice suddenly quiet. He gently set down his power tools on the table and looks over to the gruff detective, who had been staring off into space this whole time. Gavin nods his head, prompting Elijah to continue. "Why did you shut me out two years ago?" He finally asks, turning fully towards Gavin. Only now does Gavin realize that there isn't anyone in the room but them. No Chloe in sight. When had Elijah gestured them out? 

Gavin wondered what the possibilities were that they were thinking about the same thing at the same time was, but he dismissed it. It was a logical thing to wonder. But then again, it really wasn't.

"You ask that like you don't already know the answer." Gavin mocks, cold bitterness returning to his voice for the first time in days. Though it was dry and muted. Elijah's brow creases. 

"I don't know the answer. One day we're fine and living together and getting by, the next your screaming at me in a hospital room to leave, changing your locks, and blocking my number." Elijah rants quickly, getting worked up and leaning back in his chair, arms crossing over his chest. "What happened while I was gone that night?" Elijah demands to know. Though Gavin feels as though this is a dumb question. With how smart Elijah is, he should have been able to figure it out. 

"You really want to know what happened?" Gavin questions, heart rate increasing and blood boiling.

"Yeah. I do." Elijah states, feet flattening on the ground.

"Your dysfunctional deviant android that you sent to 'keep me company' fucking raped me and beat me with a chair!" Gavin shouts, standing on shaking legs. "That's what fucking happened that night!" He huffs, though he's still trembling. 

He's never had to admit what happened that night. He's never had to talk about what that thing did to him. He's been getting by these last years by denying everything, and just powering through like nothing happened. 

But it happened.

And it hurt. 

"I never did any such thing!" Elijah admits, flabbergasted and standing to match Gavin's height, staring at him wide-eyed.

"What?" Gavin stumbles, feeling faint. Elijah hurries forward, helping Gavin slowly sit back down into his chair. 

"I never sent any android to you that night." Elijah states, carefully letting go of Gavin's arm once he's sitting. 

The conversation stops there.


	15. Pockets

Gavin is quiet. Though, of course, so is Elijah. 

How was Gavin supposed to react after all these years knowing that he was raped by some random android that wandered in off of the streets? How was Elijah supposed to react after learning that his brother was attacked and sexually assaulted, while he could have prevented it if he was home just a little earlier? 

Neither knew. And Gavin's throat felt tight. He needed to get out. He needed to go.

"I'm going for a walk." Gavin states, starting towards the exit of the workshop. Elijah stands up, having sat down in the wake of all the information that he was given. 

"You can't! Your bandages haven't been changed yet." Elijah calls out to Gavin's fleeting form. Though he doesn't give chase. Gavin walks straight out of the house, and the only thing that follows him is a single Chloe. This one almost looked different than all the other ones. Her dress has a slightly different design. Gavin ignored it and just kept going. 

While Elijah didn't necessarily have a garden, there were a large number of paths that went all the way around the lake behind his house. He figured that a lakefront stroll would be okay. His legs were still wobbly, but he wanted to work out the stiffness he felt in his knees. He couldn't do that while sitting around and brewing inside. 

Leaves, rocks, and sand crunched under his boot as he shambled over to the path around the lake. He wasn't surprised that a Chloe had joined him, but he didn't necessarily want her to be here either. He wanted privacy. He wanted to think. 

"Excuse me?" Gavin halted, spinning around. Chloe had just addressed Gavin. "I hope that it doesn't bother you too much for me to talk to you. I haven't spoken to you since you and Elijah had lived together." Chloe speaks carefully, watching Gavin. He hadn't yet made a noise or a motion. 

Oh. This is the first Chloe. That's why she's dressed different. Elijah likely wanted to be able to distinguish her from the rest, though he could probably do it even without making her dress differently. 

Gavin straightens himself, carefully sliding his bandaged hands into his jean pockets. They were tight. Gavin twists back around, kicking a rock ahead of him and keeps walking.

"It's fine, did you want to say something?" Gavin offers, speaking to her clearly and with a level voice, just like Elijah had told him he should when he was still developing her speech comprehension. Chloe holds her hands behind her back and walks carefully after Gavin, avoiding stepping on precarious looking rocks.

"I hadn't meant to, but I overheard your conversation with Elijah. You both were being very loud." Chloe states, staring at the ground, almost walking like a child would from spot to spot that was clear of rocks. 

"Yeah. I guess I was loud. My bad." Gavin admits, his voice softening. He turns and looks over his shoulder as he watches Chloe. She was now a distance behind him because of how carefully she was avoiding the rocks. "What are you doing?" He questions, turning half-way around. Chloe looks up.

"I am the only RT600 model that was ever created without a waterproof chassis." She grumbles, and makes a face. Gavin almost laughs, but stares fascinated instead. She looked like she was pouting, cheeks chubby and mouth in a small frown. "I have to be careful by the waterfront." Finally, she catches up to Gavin's side. He glances over to the lake, noticing that they were about twenty feet from the edge of the lake. 

"I think you'll be okay. You don't have to walk like that." Gavin huffs a laughter and keeps walking. She looks over to the lake, and notices her actual distance. 

"Sorry, I guess I thought we were closer to the edge." Chloe apologizes, and follows more appropriately next to Gavin. "As I was saying, I had been meaning to ask you about something you had said when you were speaking with Elijah." She starts as they continue around the lake. "Why did you believe that Elijah had sent that android that harmed you?" Gavin's step didn't quite falter, but his expression did pinch as he balled his fists more aggressively in his pockets. 

"The android had said that Elijah sent him." Gavin explains simply, voice still level. Chloe didn't respond immediately, and Gavin began to wonder why he was so comfortable around these Chloe's. Not just this one that he knew years ago, but all of the ones that were inside of Elijah's house. 

He hadn't called one a bad name yet. He hadn't mocked them or degraded them for their often stone-like faces. He hadn't tripped or punched or taunted a single one. Though, it wasn't for a lack of opportunities. They weren't letting him have coffee, and instead made him drink a low-caf tea they had made. He was upset, but he couldn't make himself taunt them, or demand anything of them.

Gavin wasn't certain why, but he had felt so calm while he's been here. All except for the most recent conversation he'd had with Elijah, it was almost like he couldn't bring himself to anger, even if he wanted to. Maybe it was just his muddled head still fucking with him.

"Why did you believe the android?" Chloe speaks, and Gavin slowly angles his head to her, but doesn't really look at her. He wasn't startled when she started speaking again, he was happy to be pulled from his thoughts. 

"What do you mean?" Gavin asks, tone even more faded than it had been. 

"Why would you immediately take the android's word for it, and not question Elijah when you were in the hospital?" She stares very obviously at Gavin, and he can't take the pressure of it, so he turns his face away. 

Why hadn't he questioned Elijah when he was in the hospital room? Why hadn't he pressed his brother then? 

Gavin sighs, bringing a hand out to wipe as his dampening eyes. It hurt his fingers, still wrapped in bandages, but he had to wipe his face. 

"I was scared." Gavin starts, air catching in his throat as a knot starts to form. He stops his walking, other hand leaving his pocket to wipe at his cheeks. "I didn't know what-" His words catch, and more tears fall. Chloe stands next to him, expression soft. "I didn't know what to think. I didn't want to- want to believe that El would hurt me but..." Gavin hiccups, his head just falling into his hands. 

Chloe carefully reaches forward, pulling Gavin's hands from his face and wrapping his arms over her shoulders, gripping him in a hug. Gavin slumps into her shoulder, quietly crying, every breath stuttering.

"You must be more careful with your hands. I think that we should turn back so I can bandage them again. And I think that you should go see Elijah." Chloe carefully rubs her hand up and down Gavin's back.

Gavin takes another deep, though shaky, breath, and pulls back from the embrace. Before he can scrub his already red cheeks with his palms again, Chloe pulls a handkerchief out of her pocket, carefully soaking up the tears under his eyes. Gavin gave a wet laugh.

"Your dress has pockets." He comments, voice mumbled and quiet. Chloe brightens instantly, a smile crossing her face as she looks down at her dress and puts her hands in her pockets.

"Yes it does! Isn't it amazing!" She declares, wiggling her hands inside of her pockets.

And Gavin remembers.

Up until this point, Gavin had struggled to visualize his mothers face. It had been too painful in the past, but now, he couldn't help but remember.

Chloe had been a gift to Elijah and Gavin's mother for her birthday. Chloe was made in their mothers likeness. Gavin begins to laugh as he remembers that she had refused the gift because it was 'creepy to look at her younger self everyday'. 

Chloe doesn't know why Gavin is laughing, but she laughs too. She thinks it is splendid that her dress has pockets.


	16. Time To Talk

There was something about those awkward moments with your sibling after you have an argument that really makes Gavin's head spin. He wasn't accustomed to having to apologize, but then again, since this was Elijah, he didn't really have to. For the longest portion of Gavin's life, he never really had to deal with siblings. He was unused to the protocol and how he should go about communicating with Elijah after a major argument. 

But, when Gavin went back inside and got his bandages replaced, and he finally got back to the workshop that Elijah was in, Richard was in a different position on the table, and Elijah was working on him, all the while simultaneously flipping the pages in the case file next to him.

"Ready for me to start?" He asks, and Gavin just sighs, taking his seat once more and leaning back while crossing his arms over his chest. 

"Start with the victim." Gavin confirms, and Elijah shuffles the papers a bit before putting his hands back inside of Richard, readjusting one of his components. 

"Victim was a late model HR404. More simply, a better designed HR400, which was a male stripper android." Elijah began reading out from the case notes in the file next to him. Gavin knew most of this information from his study that he did the night before the explosion, but the refresher was nice, as that was a few days ago. "Something you probably didn't know, and something that isn't in your case notes is that HR404 was initially called HR400. However, during trials, this model was shown to be very flighty, and difficult to work with, or convince to serve his purpose. Purpose being to have sex. The model was recreated with less independence, and was programmed to stay on the pole unless paid for. The original models were given the '404' titles for the large number of errors they would encounter because they always rejected their code."

Gavin snorts. The thought of a stripper android being the first deviant was amusing. With this new information, a question rose in his head.

"Why was this android even in use? If the HR404 was really that difficult to operate, doesn't that mean that they all would have been scrapped?" Gavin asks, leaning forward in his chair, elbows resting on his knees. Elijah tilted his head back, sighing briefly before going back to work on Richard.

"If I can remember correctly, Cyberlife had issued a recall on all HR404 androids when I found out that they didn't operate quite right. However, after counting up and checking inventory of all the HR androids we got back, we were short a few. It's likely that some strip clubs just didn't return them, and used him as a back up if one of their usual androids went down." Elijah quickly explains. Gavin could remember seeing the recall notice in the news a few years ago. It was just before their mother died. 

"So they keep HR404 in the back of a strip club, and years later when the strip club shuts down, everyone in back gets forgotten." Gavin grumbles, bringing his hand up to rub it down his face, though the Chloe next to him catches his arm before he can get there. He drops his hand and instead gets up to pace. "I need to get back to that strip club. Or at least find out what the cause of the explosion was." Gavin states, shoving his hands into his pockets once more. His knuckles stung as he felt scabs rip on his knuckles. 

"You know that no one is going to give you that information. And I refuse to drive to a strip club, shut down or not." Elijah quickly inputs, finally getting a piece in Richard in place with a loud click. Gavin began frantically tapping his foot. How the hell was he going to get that information? With a deep breath in, Gavin straightens the front of his shirt while he leaves the room once more.

He strolls right up to the same phone that he had used this morning to call Chen. Gavin picks it up, and holds it gingerly in his hands, turning around and checking behind him for a Chloe that was certain to follow him out of the room. He knew that Elijah likely wouldn't follow him, he loved putting things back together too much to step away from what he called his 'greatest work'.

"Who can I help you dial?" Chloe asks as she holds her hand out in offering of the phone. Gavin gives it to her easily. 

He couldn't call Tina, she wouldn't have access to the information he needs, as she is unlikely to be on the investigation of the explosion. Hank would have the information, and so would Connor, but Gavin knew that they wouldn't give him any information, as he was still recovering. Gavin shivered even thinking about the hell he'd get into by asking Fowler. 

Then it struck Gavin. While Chen wouldn't have the information, Lewis would. Robert Lewis, the kind partner of Tina Chen. Lewis, while partnered with Chen, it was because he had great experience, and was close to becoming a detective himself. He'd been working lately in close connection with the bomb unit in the DPD to get the rest of his qualifications. He'd probably been given the deep details of whatever they had discovered so far on the explosion, even if it was only almost two days ago. 

Gavin quickly tells Chloe Lewis' desk number, believing that he'd likely be there. Lewis and Gavin never really were close, so he wasn't sure of how much information he'd be able to get out of the guy, but he could certainly talk his way to convincing him. Chloe dialed the number easily and put the phone into Gavin's hand, the dial tone ringing out. He picked up on the second ring.

"This is Officer Lewis, how can I help you?" Lewis answers with a tired drawl. Gavin smirks, happy he remembered the number correctly.

"Heya buddy. It's Reed. Was hoping I could pick your brain for a minute." Gavin starts jauntily, holding the phone carefully to his ear while he starts walking over to the back deck to talk in private. Even though he knew these Chloes' weren't going to take what he says anywhere, there was something in him that still wanted to make sure no one could hear him.

"Now, what the hell are you doin' callin' me, Reed?" Lewis questions, and Reed can hear the creak of his desk chair as Lewis likely leans back in his chair and relaxes. "And don't you dare give me any business about 'just wanting to chat'. I know you, you know me. We don't 'just chat'." He continues, voice sarcastic and tired.

"Heh, you caught me." Gavin laughs, though his smile doesn't meet his eyes. He leans on the railing of the back deck of Elijah's house, Phone balancing oddly on the tips of his fingers. "I was hoping you could tell me about that explosion from a few days ago." He can hear Lewis huff a deep chuckle on the other side of the phone. 

"I heard that you are on break until that Connor look-alike gets all fixed up." Lewis speculates. Gavin's eyebrows pinch. Chen, that bastard blab. 

"Yeah, well, that's not really accurate. I'm not on a break, just not in office." Gavin takes a deep breath, standing up straight and stretching his back. "I have some reason to believe that there may have been a strange reason for that explosion. Just wanted to clear up some confusion, as it did end up killing all of my witnesses. Oh, and completely destroyed my android." Lewis gives a hearty laugh.

"Your android?" He taunts. Gavin grimaces. "I heard that just the other day, you were hollerin' your head off at Captain Fowler just to get rid of the thing."

"You know what I mean. I'm not messing around, I need that information." Gavin interjects, his free hand going forward to grip the railing in front of him. The burning sensation inside of his palm grounds him for the briefest moments. Lewis sniffs and takes a deep breath.

"Yeah, well I figured as much. I can't really talk here. Too many watching eyes, if you get what I mean. Call my cell in ten minutes." Lewis mumbles, likely leaning into the phone and talking at a low volume to decrease those that can hear him. 

"I understand. Talk in ten." Gavin signs off with Lewis and lowers the phone from his face. He can't quite hang up himself, so a Chloe comes out onto the deck and does it for him. Gavin then dictated to Chloe the number for Lewis' cell. "Don't dial yet, give it about ten minutes." Chloe nods, and they then wait. 

And wait.

At exactly ten minutes, Chloe hits the call button, handing the phone to Gavin once more.

"They've been really cracking down on any sort of information slipping through the cracks lately. Apparently, we had a leak that's been spilling the beans to some gangster crew downtown. I wouldn't know much about it, I'm not in or with the gang department here." Lewis says as he picks up on the first ring. 

"You know, if we're really having a problem with information getting out, you should really check and make sure it's me before you go and start talking about department secrets as soon as you pick up the phone." Gavin states blandly, finding it ironic how dumb Lewis' actions just were. Chloe steps back inside, and Gavin waves over his shoulder in appreciation. 

"You may be right, but seeing how punctual the call was, I figured it was you." Lewis grumbles, very clearly seeing the fault in his ways. Gavin shrugs, not caring that he knows Lewis can't see him. "Anyways, about that explosion you were in. There was a lot of suspicious things about it." Gavin hums, indicating that he was listening. "First of all, there was something going on with the accelerant of the fire that started the whole thing off. It seemed to start off in a little pit in the middle of the club, androids likely using it for light or heat or whatever. We brought in the substance for testing, and somehow, it came back positive for red ice.

Don't go and ask me how red ice can be used as an accelerant for a fire strong enough to blow up a building, because I don't know, and neither do the boys with the DEA. I don't know how much of the explosion you really remember, but the boys here are thinking that some of that fucked up red ice got into your system, and that's what had you punchin' people's lights out." Lewis rambles, something about this case very clearly weirding him out. He's probably very happy to be just getting it all of his chest. 

"That sounds like just one weird thing. What else has caught everyone's attention." Gavin prompts when it takes Lewis a while to say anything else. The silence continues for another second before he can hear quick footsteps.

"Sorry, changing locations. Just being safe." Lewis quickly elaborates. "As for what else was weird with this explosion, some of the guys I've been talking to have been saying that the explosion itself very clearly occurred on purpose. Though, they haven't been talking much about that end of things, because that means that the explosion would have had to have motive, and the only motive that is very clear to see would be to prevent you - the lead detective on a case having to do with that club - from speaking to any of the key witnesses." Lewis continues, his voice getting more and more serious with every line he speaks. 

"Was there anything else?" Gavin asks, starting to feel anxiety rise in himself. He takes a step back away from the railing and glances around his perimeter, checking for anything out of the ordinary. 

"Yeah, actually. Hank and Connor went back to the club to check out the scene more thoroughly. I just so happened to be there, and I just so happened to overhear Connor tell Hank that all androids on the premises had been dead well before that fire was lit. Since they came back from the crime scene, they've been real tight-lipped, if you get what I mean. They haven't reported their findings in any file, or told anyone about it." Lewis hesitates for a moment, before adding "And if I can be candid, I think it's because they want to keep that info away from you." Lewis quickly emphasizes, and suddenly, Gavin hears some faded voices from Lewis' end. 

"Lewis, everything good over there?" Gavin asks, back against the door, still scanning the horizon. Lewis coughs.

"Yeah, all good. Remember, we never talked." Lewis' voice is suddenly quiet, and the line goes dead. 

Gavin's breath is heavy and he stands there for a moment, phone still pressed to his ear, eyes wide. Was someone after his life? A knock on the door behind Gavin startles him from his spot. He whirls around after dropping the phone on accident, and spots Elijah looking at him, also confused. He reaches down and pulls open the door.

"Are you good?" Elijah asks, wiggling out of the door and closing it behind him. He leans down and picks up the phone while Gavin just sort of stands there, shaking slightly. Gavin clears his throat, reaching up and rubbing his neck.

"Sort of. Just learned a lot of information." Gavin whispers, voice tight and strained. Sweat drips down his brow, and he catches it with the back of his hand.


End file.
